Charles Michel: Crimea is part of Ukraine | Ukraine and Russia war

“The European Union does not and will never recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol,” Michel said in an online speech. As for Michel, then, in 2014, Russian aggression against its neighbor began – and not on February 24, when the invasion began.

This war has caused untold suffering to millions of Ukrainian families. And since February, Russia has been using Crimea as a strategic launching pad to invade other parts of Ukraine from the south and launch indiscriminate missile strikes. Russia also uses the peninsula as a transit point to deport Ukrainian citizens to notorious liquidation camps, where torture and abuse are reported.

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According to the Belgian, Crimea became a hub for the transportation of stolen grain from other regions of Ukraine. The Russian military presence in Crimea has also reinforced the blockade of Ukraine’s ports on the Black Sea. We have seen the catastrophic consequences: damage to the Ukrainian economy and the global food crisis, especially in vulnerable countries. ”

Let’s be clear, it’s a conscious and cynical choice by the Kremlin. It is a conscious choice to weaponize hunger and try to weaken international assistance to Ukraine.” The European President therefore calls for the restoration of Ukraine’s complete territorial integrity, within internationally recognized borders.

Michel also warns that Russia’s actions may cause a nuclear disaster in Zaporizhia. It is time for caution and restraint. Russia should immediately grant access to experts from the United Nations. “We support a demilitarized zone around the nuclear power plant,” Michel said. He finally reiterated “loud and clear” that Ukraine’s future is within the European Union.

Prime Minister Alexander de Croo, who shared via video link, also stressed that dissidents against the Moscow regime in Crimea are being persecuted every day and that the basic human rights of the Tatar community living there are being violated. “This is unacceptable and goes against all international laws,” de Croo said. The Russians also warned that “any person or country that violates international rules and human rights will be held responsible for the consequences of their actions.”

On the eve of Ukraine’s National Day, the Prime Minister took the opportunity to explicitly reaffirm Belgium’s support for Ukraine, its people and leaders. “We are all on your side. We will continue to stand by you even if we have to prepare for a long-term conflict and even if the Russian aggression against Ukraine ends in a war of attrition.”

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