Ukraine President speaks to PM Modi, seeks political support at UNSC

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought India's political support at the UN Security Council to stop Russia's military offensive against his country.

President Zelenskyy's telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Modi came hours after India abstained on a UN Security Council resolution by the US that "deplores in the strongest terms" Russia's "aggression" against Ukraine.

"Spoke with Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi. Informed of the course of Ukraine repulsing Russian aggression," Zelenskuyy said in a tweet.

Zelenskyy has been making desperate appeals for help as Russian forces intensified their offensive in Ukrainian capital Kyiv and other areas.

"More than 100,000 invaders are on our land. They insidiously fire on residential buildings. Urged India to give us political support in UN Security Council. Stop the aggressor together!" he said in the tweet.

President Zelenskyy's call to Prime Minister Modi came a day after Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba spoke to his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar and sought India's support to a UN Security Council resolution.

In the telephonic conversation, Kuleba urged Jaishankar to use India's influence over Russia to force it to cease "military aggression" against Ukraine besides supporting the UN resolution.

In a tweet, Kuleba said he "asked India to use all influence in its relations with Russia to force it to cease military aggression against Ukraine''.

"Urged India as a non-permanent UNSC member to support today's draft resolution on restoring peace in Ukraine," he added.

The 15-nation Security Council voted on the draft resolution Friday afternoon by the US and Albania and co-sponsored by a "cross-regional" group of 67 UN member states, including Australia, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania and the United Kingdom.

India, China and the UAE abstained on the resolution, which received 11 votes in favour by Albania, Brazil, France, Gabon, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Norway, the UK and the US. The resolution was blocked since permanent member Russia, and President of the Security Council for the month of February, used its veto.

India is deeply disturbed by the recent turn of developments in Ukraine. We urge that all efforts are made for the immediate cessation of violence and hostilities, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said in the country's explanation of vote in the Council.

The resolution sought to isolate permanent and veto-wielding member Russia on the global stage after Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to launch an attack on Ukraine on Thursday.

Ukraine's envoy at the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya expressed disappointment over the outcome.

I am saddened, however, that there is a small, handful of members that seem to be still tolerating the war, Kyslytsya said.

The US and its allies have decided to block assets of four large Russian banks, impose export controls and sanction oligarchs close to Russian President Vladimir Putin after he ordered a "special military operation" against Ukraine.

Around 16,000 Indians, mainly students, are stranded in Ukraine. The Ukrainian airspace has been closed for civil aircraft operations since February 24 morning and therefore, the evacuation flights organised by India are operating out of Bucharest in Romania and Budapest in Hungary.