President of Ukraine Zelenskyy holds telephonic conversation with Pm Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the ongoing crisis between Russia and Ukraine should be resolved only through dialogue and diplomacy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over phone on Monday evening. The Prime Minister's Office has officially released the details of the interaction.

According to a PMO statement: President Zelenskyy shared his views with Prime Minister Modi on the ongoing war with Russia. Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Modi reiterated India's 'human-centric approach' to solving problems. He asserted that India's consistent policy is that disputes should be resolved only through dialogue and diplomacy. The Prime Minister conveyed India's readiness to contribute to all efforts aimed at restoring peace in the region. The leaders also discussed ways to further strengthen India- Ukraine bilateral cooperation in various areas for the benefit of the people of both the countries.

On the other hand, the office of the President of Ukraine also issued a statement on the phone conversation. "We discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi the diplomatic processes and the next steps required to bring the war to an end," it said. Zelenskyy said Ukraine was preparing for the upcoming Abu Dhabi summit agenda. He noted that Ukraine has always been constructive and that such an initiative is necessary to reduce war tensions from Russia as well.

"This is not the time to continue the war. Prime Minister Modi has made it clear to everyone, including the Russian leadership, many times in the past that it is time to end. "It is important for India to identify what steps it can take to end the war and to consult with the leaders of other countries," Zelenskyy said. The two leaders also discussed the issue of stagnant grain exports and food security in the Black Sea. Ukraine said it was ready to mediate in the resumption of food transport corridors and looked forward to India's efforts in this regard. Zelenskyy said that the blockade of sea routes is causing severe hardship to the Russian economy and millions of people in different countries.