Speech by the EU Ambassador to China Jorge Toledo at Commemorative Evening “РАЗОМ: The Power of Solidarity” 

Excellency Ambassador of Ukraine,

Excellency Ambassador of Poland - thank you for hosting us,

Excellencies, colleagues, friends of Ukraine,

Friends of freedom and of peace.

It is a sad day. Last year, we are at the European Union Delegation, all of us, hoping that we would not have to commemorate one year later the continuation of the Russian aggression on Ukraine. It has been almost two years now that Russia launched its full-scale invasion of a sovereign country. Let us not forget, as Pavlo said, the aggression against the territorial integrity of Ukraine started 10 years ago.

Today, we are standing here again together, united in an unwavering support of Ukraine and its people. And we shall do it for as long as it takes. And, as the High Representative and Vice President Borrell just said a few days ago, not only as long as it takes, but [also] whatever it takes. Recently, as proof of this, not only the European Union passed an additional 50 billion euro support package to Ukraine, but we are also thinking of the future. We have decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine. The future of Ukraine is to recover its territorial integrity, to recover its freedom, to recover peace. The future of Ukraine lies too in the European Union.

I will not dwell on the fact that the Russian aggression violates the most fundamental principles of the UN Charter. That does not only tragically affect the Ukrainian people; it has sent shock waves around the world affecting everyone. It has disrupted food and energy markets and profoundly destabilized the international multilateral order based on the rule of law.

The United Nations was created precisely to avoid this kind of aggression. There is no ambiguity in the UN Charter. It has never been and there cannot be so-called legitimate security concerns to justify this war of aggression. China, as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council has a special responsibility to defend the [UN] Charter in the face of this kind of aggression, not only to stop the violation of the UN Charter, but also to defend some of the most basic principles that are so dear to China, like territorial integrity.

No one wants peace more than Ukraine and the European Union. This is existential for us in Europe and reminds us of our worst and most tragic periods in history, which, by the way, affected the whole world, not only Europe.

The immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Russian military from the Ukrainian territory is the only way to restore peace. This is why we support, with many others around the world, the Ukrainian Peace Formula. This is why we encourage China to engage on Ukraine’s Peace Formula, including by joining the Global Peace Summit.

Colleagues, friends,

I thank you for your continued determination in support of Ukraine. We shall not weaken ours. Slava Ukraini!

Thank you.

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