Mitsotakis: Communication with Zelensky, assurances for full Greek support in Ukraine

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today at the initiative of the latter.

The main topic of conversation was how to deal with the adverse effects of the 19th day of the Russian invasion of the country.

The Prime Minister assured Zelensky the full support of the Greek government in Ukraine with the sending of aid and the reception of Ukrainians refugees, including ethnic Greeks.

Mitsotakis stressed to the Ukrainian President the dramatic situation in the areas where the Greek community lives.

The need to open a humanitarian corridor for a safe exit and access to humanitarian material were also discussed.

The Prime Minister expressed his interest in the safe movement of the Greek Consul General in Mariupol and the others trapped in the OSCE building.

Mitsotakis noted that the European Union sent an important political message of support from France last week for Ukraine's European perspective.

He also stressed that the full implementation of sanctions by all partners and allies will help put pressure on the Russian side to stop the attacks.

For his part, Zelensky expressed his appreciation for the defence and humanitarian material sent by Greece and stressed the need to ensure the work of humanitarian corridors, especially in Mariupol.

Meanwhile, officials of Mariupol said that nearly 2,200 people have died within the last 24 hours due to Russian attacks on their city.

"To date, 2,187 Mariupol residents have died from attacks by Russia," the Mariupol city council said on Sunday, according to CNN, noting that is a sharp increase of the nearly 1,600 figure previously announced.

"The situation in Mariupol continues to be very difficult. The city has no electricity, water, heat, almost no mobile communication, is running out of food and water," city officials said.

The U.N.’s refugee agency recently shared that more than two million Ukrainian citizens have fled the country since the invasion.

In a statement on Thursday, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said that the humanitarian situation in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol was “increasingly dire and desperate.”

“The humanitarian situation in the city of Mariupol is becoming increasingly dire and desperate. Hundreds of thousands of people have no food, water, heat, electricity, or medical care. People urgently need respite from violence and humanitarian aid,” the ICRC said.

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