Islamabad:  Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, today. Foreign Minister Qureshi shared Pakistan’s perspective in detail, reiterating serious concern at the situation, underscoring the importance of de-escalation, and stressing the indispensability of diplomacy.

The Foreign Minister noted that Prime Minister Imran Khan in his recent visit to Moscow regretted the latest situation between Russia and Ukraine and said that Pakistan had hoped diplomacy could avert a military conflict. He stressed that conflict was not in anyone’s interest, and that the developing countries were always hit the hardest economically, in case of conflict.

The Foreign Minister underlined Pakistan’s belief that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. Foreign Minister Qureshi also took up the important matter of evacuation of Pakistani community and students in Ukraine and their safe return to Pakistan.

He appreciated the role played by the Ukrainian authorities in the evacuation process and asked for continued facilitation and smooth border crossing at the earliest possible. The two Foreign Ministers agreed to remain in contact.