At this dark hour, when we see Russia’s unprovoked and
unjustified invasion of Ukraine and massive disinformation campaigns and
information manipulation, it is essential to separate lies – invented to
justify what cannot be justified – from facts.
اضافة اعلان
The facts are that Russia, a major nuclear power, has
attacked and invaded a peaceful and democratic neighboring country, which
posed no threat to it, nor provoked it. Moreover, President Vladimir Putin is
threatening reprisals on any other state that may come to the rescue of the
people of Ukraine. Such use of force and coercion has no place in the 21st
century.
What Putin is doing is not only a grave violation of
international law, it is a violation of the basic principles of human
co-existence. With his choice to bring war back to Europe, we see the return of
the “law of the jungle” where might makes right. The target is not only
Ukraine, but the security of Europe and the whole international rules-based
order, based on the UN system and international law.
His aggression is taking innocent lives, crushing people’s
wish to live in peace. Civilian targets are being struck, clearly violating
international humanitarian law, forcing people to flee. We see a humanitarian
catastrophe developing. For months, we pursued unparalleled efforts to achieve
a diplomatic solution. But Putin lied to the faces of all who met him,
pretending to be interested in a peaceful solution. Instead, he opted for a
full-scale invasion, a full-fledged war.
Russia must cease its military operations immediately, and
unconditionally withdraw from the entire territory of Ukraine. The same goes
for Belarus, which has to immediately stop its involvement in this aggression
and respect its international obligations.
The European Union is united in offering its strong support
to Ukraine and its people. This is a matter of life and death. I am preparing
an emergency package to support the Ukrainian armed forces in their fight.
The international community will now, in response, opt for a
full-scale isolation of Russia, to hold Putin accountable for this aggression.
We are sanctioning those who finance the war, crippling the Russian banking
system and its access to international reserves.
The EU and its partners have already imposed massive
sanctions on Russia that target its leaders and elites, and strategic sectors
of the Kremlin-run economy. The aim is not to harm the Russian people, but to
weaken the Kremlin’s ability to finance this unjust war. In doing this, we are
closely aligned with our partners and allies – the US, Canada, the United Kingdom,
Japan, South Korea and Australia.
We also see many countries from around the world rallying to
protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. We stand together
on the right side of history in the face of Russia’s horrifying attack on a
free and sovereign country.
To justify its crimes, the Kremlin and its supporters have
engaged in a massive disinformation campaign, which started already weeks ago.
We have seen Russian state media and their ecosystem peddling untruths in
social media networks with the aim of deceiving and manipulating. The Western
Balkans have also been targeted by the Kremlin’s disinformation operations for
far too long and know how to detect when being exposed to information
manipulation.
The Kremlin propagandists call the invasion “a special
operation”, but this cynical euphemism cannot hide the fact that we witness a
full-fledged invasion of Ukraine aiming to crush its freedom, legitimate
government and democratic structures.
Calling the Kyiv government “neo-nazi” and “Russophobic” is
nonsense: all manifestations of Nazism are banned in Ukraine. In modern
Ukraine, extreme right-wing candidates are a fringe phenomenon with minimal
support, without passing the barrier to enter the parliament. The Ukrainian
government did not cut the Donbas off and it has not prohibited the use of
Russian language and culture. Donetsk and Luhansk are not republics, they are
Ukrainian regions controlled by Russia-backed and armed separatist groupings.
We know this, and many Russians know this. There have been
courageous protests in cities across Russia since the invasion started,
demanding the end of the aggression against a peaceful neighboring nation. We
hear their voices and recognize their courage in speaking out, and we also see
many prominent public figures in Russia protesting this senseless invasion.
I continue to work with our partners around the world to
ensure the joint action of the international community against the Kremlin’s
behavior.
On February 25, only Russia vetoed a UN Security Council
Resolution on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, with China, India and the
United Arab Emirates abstaining. From all over the world, countries condemn
Russia’s attacks and at the General Assembly, the entire international community
needs to join forces and help to end Russia’s military aggression by adopting
the related UN Resolution. We particularly thank Albania as co-penholder of the
resolution.
The people of the Middle East know well what war means. They
understand its impact on innocent civilians who continue to live through
hardship and suffering.
Jordan has generously welcomed hundreds of thousands of
refugees throughout its history and knows all too well the impact of war on its
people and resources. We appreciate Jordan’s key role as a peacemaker in the
region, and look to Jordan as a partner in our efforts to support the
rules-based international system, and to maintain peace and security.
With this war on Ukraine, the world will never be the same
again. It is now, more than ever, the time for societies and alliances to come
together to build our future on trust, justice and freedom. It is the moment to
stand up and to speak out. Might does not make right. Never did. Never will.
The writer is vice-president in charge of coordinating the
external action of the European Union.
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