Russia invaded the territory of a sovereign nation on 24 February 2022, causing massive casualties among the civilian population and huge damage to cities and the country’s infrastructure.
As the Russian troops advance into Ukrainian territory, ELfR states that it stands for some principles, which are not negotiable:
The right of each country to independence
The right of each country to choose its strategic and economic alliances
The right of each country to choose its political system through free and fair elections without foreign interference
The right of each country to protect the lives of its citizens, regardless of their ethnic background, language or religion
Ukrainian soldiers and citizens, men, women and children fighting today the aggressor are defending their own country, but also the freedom of all of Europe, of all of us.
Europe cannot yield to the blackmail and unspeakable violence of a clique of corrupt oligarchs supporting an illegitimate leader. A leader threatening recourse to nuclear armageddon if he doesn’t get his way on all points of an ultimatum to the whole western world.
The Russian régime is already facing sanctions agreed between the USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea and EU, unprecedented in reach and severity. We must be steadfast in pushing for further sanctions, to cover all members of the régime, profiting from the fleecing of the Russian people and resources and participating in the Russian aggression on the sovereign nation of Ukraine.
We must also put at the disposal of Ukraine under attack, the defensive weapons it needs, including but not limited to planes, anti-tank and anti-aircraft rockets and whatever else is needed for their survival.
Europe has welcomed with open arms women and children fleeing Ukraine, as their men are staying behind, defending their country. We must give them the shelter and help they need, taking into account that their exile may be extended and that many more refugees will be crossing our borders, desperate for safety and fearing for the life of their men and families left behind. Our generosity mustn’t be allowed to run out of steam as the news cycle moves on, but we must continue to look after them as they reach the EU, a union they have been dreaming to join as a nation since before 2014.
We must take into account Ukraine’s wish to join the EU, by allowing them candidate country status, realising that the process will be long and complicated, but this first step is immensely important to a country fighting for its survival and the right to choose its alliances.
Europe and the world are living through the most dangerous moments since the end of WWII in 1945 – all of this because of the unacceptable gamble of an illegitimate regime, running out of time, as its oppressed people are running out of patience.
We support Ukraine’s struggle for survival as we support the struggle of the Russian opposition for freedom and life in a law-abiding nation.
The European Liberals for Reform Bureau on 04.03.2022
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