New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi “emphasised the need to return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy” for a way forward in the Ukraine crisis at a virtual meeting of the Quad leaders today, a statement from his office said. In his remarks, PM Modi also reiterated the importance of adhering to the UN Charter, international law and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ukraine was one of the key issues discussed at the meeting, which was also attended by US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
A joint readout issued after the meeting said the Quad leaders, assessing the “broader implications” of the conflict, “agreed to stand up a new humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mechanism which will enable the Quad to meet future humanitarian challenges in the Indo-Pacific and provide a channel for communication as they each address and respond to the crisis in Ukraine”.
On Day 8 of the invasion, Ukraine and Russia started their second round of talks and agreed on setting up evacuation corridors for civilians.
Russia has scaled up its attack on Ukrainian cities, going for air strikes as its ground forces wait miles from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.
Several other cities, including Ukraine’s second largest city Kharkiv, have also been bearing the brunt of the attack.
