Risk to nuclear facilities may lead to catastrophic consequences: PM Modi to Zelenskyy

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asserted once again his stand that there can be no military solution to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

In a telephonic conversation with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday evening, Mr Modi also said endangerment of nuclear facilities could have catastrophic consequences.

He repeated his call for early cessation of hostilities and the need to pursue a path of dialogue and diplomacy, and expressed India's readiness to contribute to any peace efforts.

He also reiterated the importance of respecting the U.N. Charter, international law, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, a statement from the Prime Minister’s office said.

During his conversation with Mr Zelensky, the Prime Minister emphasised the importance India attaches to the safety and security of nuclear installations, including in Ukraine, and underlined that endangering them could have far-reaching and catastrophic consequences.

The two leaders also touched upon important areas of bilateral cooperation, following up on their last meeting in Glasgow in November 2021.

Ukraine and Russia have blamed each other for the attacks on the Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe's largest atomic power complex. On Friday, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin signed treaties to absorb the Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine, including the area around the nuclear plant.

The conversation between Mr Modi and Mr Zelensky comes a couple of weeks after the former had pressed Mr Putin to end the conflict in a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Samakand last month, saying "today's era is not of war". Mr Modi had also called for finding ways to address the global food and energy security crisis.