External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar is expected to speak to the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba today amid Moscow's ongoing military operations in Ukraine, said Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla on Thursday.
"External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar is expected to speak to the Ukrainian Foreign Minister today," said Shringla during a special briefing on the Ukraine situation.
Jaishankar will also speak to Foreign ministers of Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary.
He further said that number of steps have been taken to deal with the emerging situation in Ukraine.
Highlighting the steps taken by the government for facilitating the return of Indians from Ukraine, he said, "We started the registration of Indian nationals in Ukraine about a month ago. Based on online registration, we found that 20,000 Indian nationals were there."
"4000 Indian nationals have already left Ukraine in the past few days. The MEA control room in Delhi has got 980 calls and 850 emails, he added.
"At the Cabinet Committee on Security meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated that the topmost priority of the government is the safety and security of Indian nationals including students in Ukraine," he said.
The Foreign Secretary also informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin shortly.
Indian Embassy in Kiev has urged the Ukrainian Government for the safety and security of Indian students in the country.
The tensions between the two nations escalated after Putin on Monday recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities escalating the ongoing tensions between the two countries. Ukraine gained independence in 1991 after the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
Earlier today, Putin said special military operations are being launched "to protect" the people in the Donbas region. He also warned other countries that any attempt to interfere with the Russian action would lead to "consequences".
Leaders from a number of countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia's military operations in the Donbas region.
( With inputs from ANI )
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