Islamabad, 27 February 2024 (GNP): We mark the second anniversary of the Russian, unprovoked, and illegal invasion of Ukraine. Every day during these two years we have seen enormous suffering of innocent civilians, including children, who have been deprived of basic human rights to live in peace.
We have witnessed massive destruction of homes, hospitals, schools, and infrastructure aimed at magnifying cruelty and breaking the spirit of the resistance.
We have also seen immense resistance from the Ukrainian armed forces and the population in repelling the invaders very often at the ultimate price of their lives. The sacrifice of the Ukrainian people brought freedom its true meaning.
We are well aware that other conflicts have captured the attention of the public opinion
and the world’s media today. The magnitude of human suffering, including the death of innocent children, in the Middle East has been heartbreaking. There is a pressing necessity to address a tragic humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Escalation and spilling over of the conflict in the region must be prevented and a renewed, credible political process aimed at the implementation of the two-state solution must be put in motion. However, no cause or grievance can justify kidnappings of civilians, terror, and violence. Pakistan who has suffered from such tragedies knows it way too well. There important reasons that the world’s attention has been directed to this conflict and humanitarian crisis.
But we must not forget about Ukraine as well. The war there has been dragging for far
too long, longer than many expected at its outset. It is natural human condition to adapt and go on with their life, especially if the war does not affect us directly. But we should resist the temptation of getting tired or becoming distracted. We should not get weary and lose sight of what it is at stake in that war.
This is exactly what the invaders and aggressors have been counting on. This has been
their strategy to wear the defenders and those who help them down, to make them tired; to make the world forget or get confused so they can achieve their nefarious goals.
We should be crystal clear that there is a dictator in Europe who – by brutal force, deception and disinformation – has been trying to subjugate and conquer Ukraine; who wants to weaken and divide us and our institutions; who has put at risk energy and food security of the developing countries in the pursue of his neo-colonial and imperialistic aspirations. We must not allow him to succeed. Therefore, we must continue to help Ukraine to defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity and the right to choose its path for the future free from bulling and fear.
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Ladies and gentlemen,
This Embassy has been trying to assist our Ukrainian friends in communicating the
truthful meaning and understanding of their fight against the Russian aggression. We have
collaborated with other like-minded partners. I am grateful to Markiian Chuchuk and his wonderful team for letting us be partners in putting this meeting together. We admire your hard work and dedication!
I am truly honored to acknowledge that this meeting is also a result of cooperation
between countries who form the Weimar Triangle: France, Germany and Poland. The Weimar format was founded in 1991 with an intention to overcome divisions of the Cold War era and support Poland’s integration with the European and Euro-Atlantic institutions.
It comprise of countries which overcome historical divisions and conflicts in order to build their future in a common European home. We believe that through consultations and dialog we can contribute to the strengthening the European integration in the face of new, global and regional challenges.
On February 12 the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Poland met in the French town of La Cell-Saint-Cloud to reinvigorate the Weimar Triangle. One of our priorities is to help Ukraine facing the Russian aggression as long as necessary. Our ministers also pledged that they would meet in an extended format, which includes Ukraine in the future. I am happy that we have been able to bring that spirit of Weimar cooperation here to Islamabad.
