Tell Putin to stop war, it’s in India’s interest: Ukraine

Ukraine foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba called upon Indian PM Modi late on Saturday to convince Russian President Vladimir Putin that the war is not in the interest of any country. In a virtual press conference, Kuleba said Ukraine is important for India’s food security and it’s in India’s interest to stop the war.

“India’s one of the top consumers of Ukraine’s agricultural products and if the war continues, it will get difficult for Ukraine,” said Ukraine foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba, adding Ukraine played an important role in ensuring global food security.

He also said Ukraine had arranged trains from Kharkiv and Sumy for evacuation of foreign students.

“Putin doesn’t recognise our right to exist. Ordinary Indians can also put pressure on the Russian embassy to stop the war,” he said.

“For 30 years, Ukraine was a welcoming home for thousands of students from Africa, Asia… to facilitate their (foreign students’) movement, Ukraine arranged trains, set up hotlines, worked with embassies… The Ukrainian government is doing its best,” he said.

Ukraine’s foreign minister claimed that Russia’s trying to “win the sympathy” of countries that have foreign nationals in Ukraine.

He said that if Russia stops “manipulating” the issue of foreign students, they will all be safely evacuated. “I call on the governments of India, China, and Nigeria, to appeal to Russia to stop the fire and allow civilians to leave,” he said.

Further, Kuleba said all countries, including India, who enjoy special relations with Russia, can appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that “this war is against the interest of all.

“He further called on ordinary Indians to put pressure on Russia to demand from them to stop the war. “Ukraine is fighting only because we were attacked and we have to defend our land because Putin does not recognize our right to exist.

“Kuleba claimed that humanitarian corridors and ceasefires do not exist because Russian forces violated the agreement reached in the morning to arrange humanitarian corridors. “We urge Russia to stop shooting to allow civilians, including foreign students, to evacuate.”