Ukraine appeals to PM Modi to 'speak to Russian President Putin & ask him to stop the war'

As Russia resumed its military offensive in Ukraine, Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba at a press conference appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin and ask him to stop the war. Earlier this week, PM Modi had spoken to Putin over phone on February 25, wherein he had called for ‘immediate cessation of violence’ and highlighted that differences between Russia and NATO can only be resolved through 'honest and sincere' dialogue.

This comes after a seven-hour long ceasefire that began in Mariupol and Volnovakha cities of Ukraine on Saturday in order to set up humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians and delivery of food and medicines.

Notably, the third round of peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are likely to take place on Monday, March 7. Ukrainian media reported quoting the official of the President of Ukraine. In the second session of talks held recently, both the countries agreed to create safe corridors for civilians to exit war-torn cities.

Ukraine alleges 'Russia violated ceasefire' 

Ukraine media a few hours into the ceasefire alleged that evacuation in Mariupol got stalled due to the Russian side violating the ceasefire agreement. Visuals accessed by Republic Media Network showed civilians thronging to a railway station in Mariupol for evacuation. But the process was postponed after the Municipal Council of Mariupol issued a statement saying that Russian forces were violating the ceasefire and continuing their shelling.