The European Commission rejected on Monday the accusations of responsibility in the war in Ukraine, made by the president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The spokesman for the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Defense Policy, Peter Stano, recalls that the European Union has helped Ukraine to defend its very existence, against the invasion launched in February last year.
“It is not true that the European Union and the United States are helping to prolong the conflict,” said the spokesman, recalling that “the truth is that Ukraine is the victim of unlawful aggression in violation of the United Nations Charter.”
That is why, he says, “the European Union and the United States and other international partners are supporting Ukraine in its legitimate defense.”
“If they did not do so,” the spokesperson underlines, “then Ukraine would face destruction”, that is, “the Ukrainian Nation and Ukraine, as a country, would face destruction, since these are the declared objectives of the war of [Vladimir] Putin”.
Peter Stano claims that even before the war began, the 27 attempted a “civil dialogue” with Moscow, but in response, what they got was a full-scale war, launched against Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
“The European Union has supported peace initiatives long before Putin decided to launch this bloodshed against the Ukrainian people,” despite the fact that “on several occasions” the 27 have “offered Russia the possibility of addressing its concerns civilized at the negotiating table”, he said, recalling that “the response was the unfortunate aggression of February of last year”.
Peter Stano even states that all attempts at dialogue with Moscow always resulted in more aggression and threats by Vladimir Putin, who “began to use energy as a weapon and hunger as a weapon, affecting not only Ukrainians, but also Ukrainians.” people everywhere.” about the world”.
“He started using winter as a weapon and he started using nuclear intimidation and nuclear threats, so the European Union is supporting any peace initiative that prevents Putin from continuing this illegal aggression,” the spokesman stressed.
“When it comes to peace initiatives and since then, of course, there have been a number of peace initiatives and efforts, or at least various actors have tried to appeal for peace, but each peace offer has been answered by another escalation. by Putin.”, he lamented.
“What is very important, the European Union naturally supports peace as soon as possible, but let’s not forget that Ukraine is the victim, so Ukraine has to define under what conditions possible peace talks would start,” he recalled.
Saying his comments were not a direct response to the Brazilian president’s accusation, Peter Stano said that “Russia is killing Ukrainian civilians, destroying Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, (…) it is kidnapping Ukrainian children, (…) to steal Ukrainian property.” and territory”.
“The United States and the European Union, together with other international partners, what we are doing is helping Ukraine to exercise its legitimate right to self-defense. Russia is violating the UN charter,” Stano said, recalling that “this is also recognized by Brazil”.
“Brazil voted together with more than 140 countries at the UN to condemn the Russian aggression and call for its cessation and ask Russia to withdraw its soldiers from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.”
The spokesman for the European Commission on Foreign Policy considers that any statement should never confuse who is the aggressor and who is being attacked, and for this reason he rejects the accusation of the Brazilian president, when Lula da Silva accuses the European Union of having started the war against Russia.
Source: TSF
