ATHENS – Greece is running five operations to evacuate Greek citizens, their relatives, and other nationalities from Odessa, Kiev and Mariupol on Greek-owned ships, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Alexandros Papaioannou said on Wednesday.

During a regular press briefing, Papaioannou spoke of the outstanding assistance and work of remaining diplomatic staff in Ukraine, the Greek embassy in Bucharest and officials at the ministry in Athens. In addition, Greece is working closely on coordination with OSCE and the International Committe of the Red Cross, he said.

The spokesman said that Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias has carried out a very busy schedule of contacts in Athens and abroad on the Russian invasion of the Ukraine during the last two weeks. A large number of his appointments abroad however have been cancelled and Dendias will remain in Athens for the time being unless something urgent occurs. Official trips abroad that will not be cancelled include EU’s Council of Foreign Affairs on March 21 and India on March 22.

Asked to comment on Kosovo’s intention to join NATO, Papaioannou said that there are four NATO members that do not recognize the state, while Greece’s position on Kosovo has not changed.