We must stand with Ukraine

Joint oped by HARRIET CROSS, UK High Commissioner to TT and SERGIY KYSLYTSYA, Ambassador of Ukraine to TT

ANYONE with access to a TV screen or mobile phone witnessed the horrific scenes of burning buildings, civilians fleeing bombs and lines of refugees. Missiles and air strikes have torn through apartment blocks. Innocent people including children have lost their lives. This Russian attack on Ukraine, illegal and unprovoked, has shocked the world.

Unprovoked attack

Putin claims to be defending the rights of ethnic Russians. He claims that Russian-speaking residents of Donbas are subjected to genocide. There is no evidence to support this. Putin has made clear his territorial ambition. He has lied to the world time after time.

The truth is that Russia is violating international law and the United Nations Charter. Claims of genocide in Donbas are false pretexts for aggression. They have no historical parallel or claim. Ukrainians are now living with fear and suffering and Russians find themselves cut off from the world, increasingly isolated by their bellicose leader.

Ukraine has been defending itself and never wanted this war, but it was brought to us. As President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said to Russian soldiers on March 9:

“You still have a chance to survive. Almost two weeks of our resistance have shown you that we will not give up. Because this is our home. These are our families and children…This war must be ended. We must return to peace. Leave our home, go back to yours.”

Assault on territorial integrity

What we are seeing in Ukraine is not just a Ukrainian tragedy. It is a sustained assault on the security and freedom of a sovereign and democratic state. “Sovereignty” is often talked about in the media and by politicians, but what do we mean?

We mean that Ukraine has the right to determine its own future. It has the right to choose its own allies. It has the right to protect its own borders. It has the right to co-operate with the European Union or with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, if it wishes. It has the right to trade with who it wants. It has the right to secure a peaceful future for its own citizens. This is the same sovereignty that Trinidad and Tobago itself cherishes.

Speaking with one voice

Trinidad and Tobago and its Caribbean neighbours were quick to respond to Russia’s aggression. There was no ambiguity in the Caricom statement of February 24 which strongly condemned the military attacks and invasion of Ukraine by Russia, called for the immediate and complete withdrawal of the military presence and recognised that this was a “violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.”

As we saw in the UN General Assembly, when 141 member states stood up for Ukraine, Vladimir Putin underestimated this international unity and resolve. The international community will not be a bystander to this horror. The UK, along with Ukraine’s partners around the world, have resolved to make Putin and his regime pay the highest price for this reckless and illegal action.

While the economic cost of standing up to Russia will impact us all, we cannot allow Putin’s destructive ambition to succeed. Trinidad and Tobago may be many miles from Ukraine but this unprovoked attack on a sovereign nation by a belligerent larger neighbour is something that should concern every nation. The voice of the Caribbean on the international stage, as we saw in the COP26 climate talks last year, is incredibly important.

The people of Ukraine take heart from the outpouring of support from around the world. We must not let them face this alone. We must continue to make clear that aggressors must not win. We must all #StandWithUkraine.

Harriet Cross

Sergiy Kyslytsya

AP Photo