PM Narendra Modi talks to Russian President Putin; chairs high-level meeting on Ukraine crisis

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on the phone with the Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. The two leaders reviewed the situation in Ukraine, especially in Kharkiv where many Indian students are stuck. They discussed the safe evacuation of the Indian nationals from the conflict areas.

PM Modi also chaired a high-level meeting on Wednesday night on the Ukraine crisis amid India’s efforts to evacuate its citizens from the war-torn country, which is under attack from Russia. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, his Cabinet colleague Piyush Goyal and senior officials attended the meeting.

PM Modi has held a series of meetings since Sunday to spearhead India's efforts to safely bring back its nationals, asserting that this is his government's top priority.

Earlier in the day, the Indian embassy in Ukraine asked all Indian nationals to leave Kharkiv immediately to safe zones or further westwards. MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that the advisory has been issued by our Embassy on the basis of information received from Russia. 

The external affairs ministry has assured that every Indian citizen will be brought back from Ukraine. It said that around 17,000 Indian nationals have left Ukraine through its different borders since the Indian Embassy in Ukraine issued advisories.