RUSSIA’S invasion of Ukraine has severely affected the latter’s production and export of grains, rattling global markets of food and energy, said the European Ambassadors.
The ambassadors, representing nine European nations, emphasised the continuous disruption stemming from Russia’s aggression and its impact on the stability of the global economy in a statement commemorating the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The statement jointly released by Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, and Sweden noted that European countries, along with Ukraine, were working together to keep global food prices stable by protecting the production and export of grain to countries, particularly those on the African continent.
Read Also:
Russia-Ukraine war: ICC issues arrest warrant for Putin
Russia-Ukraine conflict: Africa to feel impact on food security – EU commissioner
Russia-Ukraine conflict: Biden, Blinken, Adeyemo among top US officials sanctioned by Putin
The ICIR reported that the Ukraine-Russian war, which started on Thursday, February 24, saw over 3.2 million refugees flee the country in the first few weeks of the war and over 14 million displaced about eight months later.
The attacks by Russian forces were reported in major cities across Ukraine, including Berdyansk, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Sumy, and the capital Kyiv.
For a while now, the conflict has reached a stalemate. However, as reported by CNN, on February 19, Ukraine faced a significant setback when it was compelled to retreat from the strategic town of Avdiivka after enduring months of intense battles. This withdrawal marked Ukraine’s worst defeat since the fall of Bakhmut in May.
Early this month, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) confirmed 10,582 deaths of civilians and 19, 875 injured in Ukraine during the war, according to analysis by Statista.
Reacting to what it described as a “serious violation of international law” by Russia, the European ambassadors said it had been two years of Ukraine defending its citizens, schools, hospitals, waters, industries and independence with “tooth and nail.”
“Two years of too many lives lost and too much pain endured. We are aware that there are more conflicts happening in the world and that people are suffering in various places. We support a just international order where people anywhere can benefit from peace, stability and prosperity, in Europe, Africa or elsewhere. With geographical distance, there is the risk of information being lost. So today, while we stand together on a day we wish we didn’t need to commemorate, we would like to share more information on questions we often get,” they wrote.
On why Nigeria should care about Russia’s war against Ukraine, the ambassadors stressed that countries had agreed on rules of engagement for the benefit of their citizens, with the United Nations (UN) Charter providing a clear framework aimed at preserving peace.
The framework, according to the statement, includes respect for the sovereignty of a country, whether a neighbouring country or a country further away.
“Russia’s war against Ukraine goes against international agreements and the United Nations Charter. The illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine creates a dangerous precedent for the rest of the world. Sovereignty and territorial integrity are the cornerstones of international order. Russia’s undermining of Ukrainian sovereignty undermines the international institutions we have built together.
“Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has also disrupted global food and energy markets. Ukraine is among the world’s most important grain producers. The illegal Russian invasion has severely affected Ukraine’s production and export of grains, leading to higher prices worldwide. European countries and Ukraine are working together to keep global food prices stable by protecting the production and export of grain to countries, particularly on the African continent, for instance through ‘Solidarity Lanes’ and the Black Sea Corridor,”
They also clarified the claim that European countries were prolonging the war in Ukraine by sending weapons, noting that these countries support Ukraine by providing weapons to uphold its right to self-defence.
According to the statement, Russia attacked Ukraine without justification, violating international law and the UN Charter, adding that Russia has breached almost 400 international treaties since its ‘illegal’ invasion of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula in 2014.
“Russia can end the war at any time and withdraw from Ukraine. For Ukraine, however, an end to its defence would mean the loss of its territory and the oppression of its population. Not supporting Ukraine would mean accepting Ukraine to fall under Russian submission.”
While stating that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had put an offer for sustainable peace on the table with his 10-Point Peace Plan, Russia refused to negotiate.
“People sometimes claim that Europe or NATO provoked the Russian attack. We are not at war with Russia, nor do we seek confrontation. Before the illegal invasion, European countries like ours and Russia enjoyed certain levels of cooperation, including through trade. NATO also did not look for confrontation with Russia. NATO is a defensive alliance. Countries can request membership of NATO and NATO respects every nation’s right to choose its own path.
“Russia breached the Budapest Memorandum (1994) where it agreed to respect the independence, sovereignty and borders of Ukraine, by its 2014 invasion of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula. Since then, Russia has continued to breach international law. The illegal invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 marked a further escalation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.”
On why the nine European countries do support other countries with weapons as they do with Ukraine, they said they had always been committed to contributing to safety and stability globally.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M