Team News Riveting
New Delhi, February 28
India will join the league of countries that will send medical and military aid to Ukraine that had been invaded by Russia on Thursday even as negotiation started today for a ceasefire.
However, India will be sending only medical and humanitarian aid. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Monday India would send humanitarian aid, including medicines, to Ukraine.
India on Monday said it managed to accelerate efforts to evacuate its nationals from Ukraine though the ground situation remained “complex and fluid”, and noted that around 8,000 Indians left that country since the first advisory was issued earlier this month before the conflict began.
External Affairs Ministery Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a media briefing that 1,396 Indians were brought back home in six flights in the last few days as part of the evacuation mission.
Meanwhile, Since Russia invaded last Thursday, many countries have started to send military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The United States, Canada and 19 European countries have so far responded to Ukrainian appeals for military equipment. Washington is sending an extra $350 million (313 million euros) in military aid to Kyiv to bring its total support to more than a billion dollars over the last year.
For the first time in its history, the EU is financing the buying and delivery of arms after leaders agreed to transport weapons worth 450 million euros to Kyiv. Foreign policy chief Josep Borrell says some nations are sending fighter jets. Canada is sending lethal military weaponry and loaning Kyiv around $392 million to help the city defend itself.
While Germany has broken the longstanding taboo of not exporting arms to conflict zones by vowing to send Ukraine 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles and nine howitzers to help Ukraine to fight Russia.
Sweden is also breaking its historic neutral stance to send 5,000 anti-tank rockets. It’s the first time Sweden has sent weapons to a country in armed conflict since Stalin invaded neighbouring Finland in 1939.
Rome has sent 110 million euros in immediate aid to the Ukrainian government as “a concrete sign of our support”. The US and Britain are also contributing. Washington announced $54 million in new humanitarian aid for Ukraine to be spent through NGOs, with London adding 48 million euros.
France, which is bringing a humanitarian aid resolution to the UN Security Council on Feb. 28, has sent 33 tonnes of aid to Ukrainian refugees in Poland. Another 33 tonnes are being sent for those who have fled into Moldova.
The Dutch government says it is sending 20 million euros in humanitarian aid. Spain has promised to send 20 tonnes of aid to Ukraine, mostly medical and defensive equipment such as bulletproof vests.
Israel says it is sending 100 tonnes of humanitarian aid, such as medical equipment, water purifiers, tents and sleeping bags.
Turkey’s disaster relief agency is sending three lorries full of aid to Moldova for Ukrainian refugees. The Red Crescent is sending help to people fleeing into Romania.
Greece is sending a shipment of humanitarian aid through Poland.
On the other hand, negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian delegations are currently underway. “Negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian delegations are ongoing,” Mykhailo Podoliak, Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, posted on Twitter.
At around 8 PM (IST), two rounds of talks were completed and the delegation was heading for the third round.
