May 29, 2020

Russia barters masks for Ukrainian lives

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Dear Editor:

Тhe Russian Federation (RF) is attempting to use a global pandemic to pull off an incredible scam: bartering masks and medical equipment for Ukrainian lives.

In 2014, the RF invaded and seized Crimea, and then mounted an overt and vicious military aggression in eastern Ukraine that is into its sixth consecutive year. Despite repeated attempts by Ukraine, and the international community, in particular Germany and France, to negotiate a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, including Minsk I, Minsk II and the 2020 Normandy Four summit in Paris, the RF’s military aggression continues.

In addition to massive destruction of Ukraine’s infrastructure and economy, the human toll of the RF’s incessant aggression in eastern Ukraine since 2014 has been staggering. Indeed, over 13,000 individuals have been killed and 30,000 injured, and there are over 1.5 million internally displaced persons in Ukraine.

Western democracies have understood – after witnessing the RF’s destabilization operations in the region, including Russian occupation of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in Georgia and the RF’s invasion of Crimea with “little green men” – that international outcries and empty condemnations were simply not enough to pressure the RF to comply with its most basic international obligations.

Indeed, the lack of a strong response from the West emboldens the RF to be even more audacious.

Thеrefore, in response to the RF’s invasion of Crimea and a portion of eastern Ukraine, and the RF’s downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in Ukraine’s airspace, Western democracies, including the U.S., the European Union, the U.K., Canada and Australia, imposed sanctions against the RF.

These sanctions have had an impact on the RF and slowed its expansionist ambitions in Ukraine.

For its part, the RF has ridiculed these sanctions, imposed its own against Western democracies and devised various devious strategies, including massive disinformation campaigns, to push for the lifting of sanctions.

Since 2014, the RF has always been in the position to get these sanctions lifted. All it needs to do is respect the ceasefire regime in eastern Ukraine, cease the occupation of Crimea, withdraw all its troops from Ukraine and release all Ukrainian hostages.

Instead, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the RF continues to cruelly violate its ceasefire obligations in eastern Ukraine on a daily basis.

That is why the RF’s attempt to portray its “humanitarian side” with the transmission of masks and medical equipment to countries suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic, while simultaneously lobbying for the easing of international sanctions that are in place for its obstinate military aggression against Ukraine, is extremely duplicitous.

The international community must not be fooled by the RF’s powerful propaganda campaign and resist calls from high-placed and -priced, Putin apologists for the removal of sanctions.

Western democracies must unequivocally and firmly support the sanctions regime against the RF until the RF finally meets its international commitments: stops the killing and maiming of Ukrainians in eastern Ukraine, ceases the occupation of Crimea, withdraws all its troops from Ukraine and releases all Ukrainian hostages.

Eugene Czolij,
Toronto

The letter-writer is president of the non-governmental organization Ukraine-2050. He is a former president of the Ukrainian World Congress (2008-2018).

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