New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephone conversation on Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In the context of the ongoing situation in Ukraine, Prime Minister reiterated India's long-standing position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy.
The two leaders reviewed the implementation of the decisions taken during President Putin's visit to India in December 2021. In particular, they exchanged ideas on how bilateral trade in agricultural goods, fertilizers, and pharma products could be encouraged further. The leaders also discussed global issues, including the state of the international energy and food markets. They agreed to maintain regular consultations on global and bilateral issues.
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On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War that began in 2014. Right after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Prime Minister Modi spoke on the telephone with Putin and reiterated his long-standing conviction that the differences between Russia and the NATO group can only be resolved through honest and sincere dialogue.
During that time, Modi appealed for an immediate cessation of violence and called for concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue. He also sensitised the Russian President about India's concerns regarding the safety of the Indian citizens in Ukraine, especially students, and conveyed that India attaches the highest priority to their safe exit and return to India. The leaders agreed that their officials and diplomatic teams would continue to maintain regular contact on issues of topical interest.
