At the Free America Forum, the Vice Speaker Olena Kondratiuk called on politicians from 20 Latin American countries to impose anti-russian sanctions
The Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Olena Kondratiuk spoke at the Free America Forum, which brought together political representatives of the vast majority of democratic countries in Latin America.
The speech was a unique opportunity to tell the truth about russia’s war against Ukraine to a wide audience in the Global South.
In her address, the Vice-Speaker thanked the Latin American countries, which almost completely supported the main UN resolutions condemning russian aggression, and stressed that the Ukrainian people appreciate every vote in their support.
At the same time, according to Olena Kondratiuk, the whole world sees the ineffectiveness of the UN Security Council in the current circumstances. Therefore, she called for a radical reform of the Security Council.
“russia, which has committed aggression in violation of the basic principle of the UN, cannot be a permanent member of the Security Council. The permanent membership must be expanded, and a representative of Latin America must finally be given the right to represent the region in the world’s main security body!” the Vice Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament stressed, adding that this was also stated by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi in his speech at the last meeting of the UN General Assembly in September.
She also noted that Ukraine is aware that the foreign policy of most countries in the Latin American region is based on the principle of “non-interference in conflicts outside the country”.
But russia’s war is a violation of the basic norms and principles of international law. It is a genocide. That is why it is very difficult for us, Ukrainians, to accept and understand the principle of “neutrality” of any country when it comes to the unilateral decision of a great power to capture and destroy its neighbour,” said Olena Kondratiuk and called on Latin American countries to express a clear position on the terrorist actions of the russian leadership, and for parliaments and governments, including the Free America Forum, to adopt relevant resolutions. She emphasised that today Ukraine desperately needs the help of nations that have gone through the terrible experience of external intervention.
“We also appeal to Latin American countries to interrupt any business with russian partners, not to allow russian companies to continue their business activities in the region, and to impose economic sanctions against russia,” the Vice Speaker said.
The issue of russian propaganda that distorts reality was raised separately in the speech. Olena Kondratiuk reminded that the world’s leading countries have banned russian propaganda media from their territories and called on Latin American countries to do the same.
At the end of her speech, the Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stressed that our country is fighting a war for independence, and our people are fighting for their very existence. After all, if Ukraine stops resisting, it will disappear. “Only if russia withdraws its troops from the territory of Ukraine and stops hostilities, peace will be restored. Because true peace is not about appeasing the aggressor, but about stopping the aggression completely. If russia lays down its arms, there will be peace. If Ukraine lays down its arms, there will be no Ukraine,” concluded Olena Kondratiuk.
For reference: The Free America Forum is being held on 25-27 October 2023 in Mexico City at the initiative of the Christian Democratic Organisation of America, which unites 34 political parties from 21 Latin American countries. They represent about 30% of all registered voters in their countries and 10% of the total population of this important region of the Global South, home to more than 665 million people.