Bucha Killings Worrisome, Urged Putin & Zelensky To Talk Directly: Modi Tells Biden

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday told US President Joe Biden that the situation in Ukraine is worrisome and he had urged Vladimir Putin to talk directly with Volodymyr Zelensky to find a way to end the conflict.

“The situation in Ukraine is worrisome. We have succeeded in evacuating more than 20,000 Indian citizens. I have spoken with Presidents of both Ukraine and Russia over telephone, several times. I not only appealed to them for peace but also suggested President Putin to hold direct talks with the Ukrainian President,” Modi said in his opening remarks during a virtual meet with Biden.

Condemning the killings in Bucha town last week, Modi said: “Recent news of the killings of innocent citizens in Bucha city was very concerning. We immediately condemned it and also demanded an impartial probe. We hope that a path for peace would be found through talks between Russia and Ukraine,” Modi said as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and their US counterparts watched from Washington ahead of the Indo-US 2+2 ministerial dialogue.

Biden opened the session by appreciating the support India extended to Ukrainian people.

“The majority of our partnership is a deep connection between our people and our shared values… Our friendship and our shared values. I welcome India’s humanitarian support for the people of Ukraine,” the US President said.