UN says holding talks with Moscow, Kyiv on framework for evacuation of Ukrainian civilians

The United Nations is currently holding talks with Moscow and Kyiv to develop a framework for the evacuation of civilians in Ukraine, UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Wednesday.

"Following the agreement reached in principle between the UN Secretary-General [Antonio Guterres] and Russian President [Vladimir Putin], our Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is mobilizing a team on behalf of the UN system to coordinate the evacuation of civilians in the Azovstal plant in Mariupol," Haq said. "Today, we are having a follow-up discussion with the authorities in Moscow and in Kyiv to develop an operational framework for the timely evacuation of civilians."

Haq said that the United Nations now is "moving stuff" to some areas in Ukraine to provide assistance.

"We are putting people on the ground and we are in talks with the sides. what we want is to make sure that a ceasefire would be respected and to move people safely," he added. (ANI/Sputnik)

( With inputs from ANI )