The Council of Europe reaffirms its "unwavering" support for Ukraine
The leaders of the Council of Europe, the institution that guarantees the rule of law on the continent, reaffirmed their "unwavering" support for Kiev on Friday, one day before the two-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, reports Agerpres.
"We are marking a moment that no one would have wanted to see," said Marija Pejcinovic Buric, the general secretary of the Council, in front of about 150 people, members of the Council, gathered in front of the Strasbourg-based institution. "Ukraine's future must be a free and European future. And the Council of Europe is firmly determined to contribute to this," she insisted.
"This commitment is at the heart of all the actions we have taken to support Ukraine and its people," she added, noting in particular the record of damage to Ukraine, which paves the way for an international mechanism for Russia to provide compensation to Kiev for the destruction caused by his war of aggression.
Moscow was expelled from the Council of Europe shortly after the outbreak of the war, which began on 24 February 2022. Ukraine's ambassador to the Council of Europe, Boris Tarasiuk, called on the international community "to strengthen its support against the aggressor to avoid further atrocities".
“Let us not ask how long this war will last, but rather how we can hasten our common victory. The calculation is simple: more effort means faster victory, means peace," said Tarasiuk.
"We reiterate our firm and unequivocal condemnation of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and our unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," said Council leaders Marija Pejcinovic Buric, Dominique Hasler, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg, and Theodoros Rousopoulos, the last two being the presidents of the Committee of Ministers, respectively the Parliamentary Assembly, the executive and parliamentary bodies of the Council of Europe.
"All efforts must be made to hold accountable those responsible for all human rights violations and crimes committed during this war," insisted the Council's human rights commissioner, Dunja Mijatovic.
