PM Ismail Sabri: Govt to bring remaining Malaysians back from Ukraine amidst conflict with Russia

SHAH ALAM: The government’s priority now is to ensure Malaysians in Ukraine are safe from the current attacks amidst the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the Malaysian Embassy in Kyiv were currently working on providing them protection and shelter before they evacuated home here.

He said there are 23 citizens registered at the embassy in the Ukrainian capital of which 12 have returned to Malaysia.

“Malaysia hopes for a peaceful settlement between Ukraine and Russia can be reached soon and subsequently resolve the conflict,” he said in a Twitter posting today.

Ismail Sabri is currently in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for a two-day official visit to further strengthen 65 years of bilateral ties as well as trade and investment opportunities and people-to-people movement.

There, he told media members that although the situation in Ukraine was still “not bad yet”, the Malaysian authorities have decided to repatriate them immediately.

“Our people’s safety is our top priority,” he was quoted saying.

Ismail Sabri also said Asean has not called for any meetings in regards to the Ukraine-Russia crisis, stating that the group was an establishment of free countries and will not get involved with the affairs of other countries.

“Asean will only release a statement once we reach a consensus.

“As of now, Asean will not make any statements and that Asean is still a zone of peace,” he said.

Ismail Sabri had earlier met with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techno Hun Sen, in which they both agreed that Russia and Ukraine needed to find a a peaceful way to resolve the situation.