‘Power does not grant reason, unjust wars are doomed to be lost’

By Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice President of the European Commission

In this dark hour, when we see Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine and massive campaigns of disinformation and manipulation of information, it is essential to separate the lies – invented to justify what cannot be justified – from the facts . The facts are that Russia, one of the major nuclear powers, has attacked and invaded a peaceful and democratic neighboring country, which did not pose any threat to it or provoke it. Furthermore, President Vladimir Putin threatens to retaliate against any other state that comes to the rescue of the people of Ukraine. Such use of force and coercion have no place in the 21st century.

What President Putin is doing is not only a serious violation of international law, it is a violation of the basic principles of human coexistence. With his choice to bring war back to Europe we see the return of the “law of the jungle”, where power does not grant reason. The goal is not only Ukraine, but the security of Europe and the entire rules-based international order, based on the UN system and international law.

Their aggression is claiming innocent lives, crushing the desire of the people to live in peace. Civilian targets are attacked, clearly violating international humanitarian law and forcing people to flee. We see a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding. For months, we have made unprecedented efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution. But Putin lied to the face of everyone 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 immediately cease its military operations and unconditionally withdraw from the entire territory of Ukraine. The same goes for Belarus, which must immediately cease its participation 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 or death. I am preparing an emergency package to support the Ukrainian armed forces in their fight.

In response, the international community will now opt for a full-scale isolation of Russia, to hold President Putin accountable for this aggression. We are sanctioning those who finance the war, paralyzing 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 economy run by the Kremlin. The goal is not to harm the Russian people, but rather to weaken the Kremlin’s ability to finance this unjust war.

In doing this, we are closely aligned with our partners and allies: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. We are glad to see the strong support of Latin American and Caribbean countries, including our close friends in Ecuador, to support Ukraine’s sovereignty. The president of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, has expressed, from the outset, his support for the defense of international law and has firmly rejected the use of armed force and the violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. He welcomed his position against the violation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

To justify their crimes, the Kremlin and its supporters have engaged in a massive disinformation campaign, which began weeks ago. We have seen the Russian state media and its ecosystem sell lies on social media with the aim of misleading and manipulating.

Kremlin propagandists call the invasion “a special operation”, but this cynical euphemism cannot hide the fact that we are witnessing a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine, with the aim of crushing its freedom, its legitimate government and its structures. democratic. Calling the Kiev government “neo-Nazi and Russophobic” makes no sense: all manifestations of Nazism are prohibited in Ukraine. In modern Ukraine, far-right candidates are a fringe phenomenon with minimal support, not passing the barrier to enter Parliament. The Ukrainian government has not isolated Donbas and has not prohibited the use of the Russian language and culture. Donetsk and Lugansk are not republics, they are Ukrainian regions controlled by armed separatist groups backed by Russia.

We know this, and many Russians know it too. Brave protests have been organized in cities across Russia since the invasion began, demanding an end to the aggression against a peaceful neighboring nation. We hear your voices and acknowledge your 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 joint action by 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. Countries around the world condemn Russia’s attacks, and in the General Assembly the entire international community should join forces and help end Russia’s military aggression by adopting the related UN resolution. We thank Ecuador for believing in multilateralism and for its active diplomatic efforts to raise support for the resolution.

With this war in Ukraine, the world will never be the same again. Now, more than ever, is the time for societies and alliances to come together to build our future on trust, justice and freedom. It’s time to get up and speak. Power does not grant reason. He never did. He never will. (OR)