In this dark moment, in which we are witnessing the unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Russia and massive campaigns of disinformation and manipulation of information, it is essential to separate lies —invented to justify the unjustifiable— from facts.
The facts are that Russia, a great nuclear power, attacked and invaded a peaceful and democratic neighboring country, which neither threatened nor provoked it. Furthermore, President Vladimir Putin threatens any other country that might come to the aid of the Ukrainian people with reprisals. Such use of force and coercion has no place in the 21st century.
President Putin’s action not only constitutes a serious violation of international law, but, above all, a violation of the basic principles of human coexistence. By their choice to bring war back to Europe, we see the return of the “law of the fittest” in which power makes right.
The target is not just Ukraine, but European security and the whole international order based on rules and the primacy of the United Nations system and international law.
Their aggression is claiming innocent lives and crushing people’s desire to live in peace. Civilian targets have been hit, in clear violation of international humanitarian law, forcing populations to evade. We are witnessing the emergence of a humanitarian catastrophe.
For months, we have concentrated unparalleled efforts to reach a diplomatic solution. However, President Putin blatantly lied to all those who met with him, pretending to be interested in a peaceful solution. On the contrary, he opted for a large-scale invasion, configuring full-scale war.
Russia must immediately cease its military operations and proceed with its unconditional withdrawal from Ukrainian territory. The same applies to Belarus, which must immediately stop its involvement in this aggression and respect its international obligations. The EU is united in offering its strong support to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. It is a life or death imperative. I am preparing a set of emergency measures to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces in their fight.
The international community will respond with extensive isolation from Russia to hold President Putin accountable for this aggression. We will apply sanctions against those who finance the war, crippling the Russian banking system in its access to international reserves.
The European Union and its partners have already imposed massive sanctions against Russia targeting its leadership, elites and strategic sectors under state administration. The aim is not to harm the Russian people, but to undermine the government’s ability to finance this unjust war.
In doing so, we are strongly aligned with our partners and allies — the US, Canada, UK, Japan, South Korea and Australia. We also saw other countries from different continents join efforts to protect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, including Brazil and Latin America. We are on the right side of history in the face of Russia’s terrible attack on a free and sovereign country.
To justify their crimes, the Russian government and its supporters have been implementing a massive disinformation campaign that began weeks ago. We have watched the Russian state media and its ecosystem spreading untruths on social media platforms with the aim of deceiving and manipulating.
The Western Balkans have been the target of ongoing disinformation operations implemented by the Russian government and they know exactly how to avoid attempts to manipulate information.
Russian government propagandists classify the invasion as a “special operation”, but such a cynical understatement cannot hide the fact that we have witnessed the full invasion of Ukraine, aimed at crushing its freedom and its legitimate government and democratic structures.
Calling the Ukrainian government “neo-Nazi” and “Russophobic” is meaningless: all Nazi demonstrations are banned in Ukraine. In modern Ukraine, candidates from far-right parties are fringe phenomena with minimal support and unable to overcome barrier clauses in parliamentary elections. The Ukrainian government has not isolated the Donbass region and has not banned the use and practice of Russian language and culture. Donetsk and Lugansk are not republics, but Ukrainian regions controlled by armed and Russian-backed separatist groups.
We know this — and many Russians know it as well. There have been courageous protests in several Russian cities since the beginning of the invasion, calling for an end to the aggression against the peaceful neighboring nation. We hear their cries and recognize the courage of their demonstration, as well as the protests of prominent public figures in Russia against this senseless invasion.
I continue to work with our partners around the world to ensure concerted action by the international community against the behavior of the Russian government. On February 25, only Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, accounting for China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstentions.
Countries on all continents have condemned Russia’s attacks at the United Nations General Assembly, and the international community needs to join forces and help put an end to Russia’s military aggression by adopting the relevant United Nations resolution. We are particularly grateful to Albania for co-authoring this resolution.
The Brazilian people have strong ties to several democratic European countries, including Ukraine. Brazil received countless European immigrants, giving them hope of life and the possibility of building a future from the ashes of conflicts. Our Brazilian friends know well what the Ukrainian people are facing, because we all cherish the values of freedom, democracy and respect for our sovereignty.
Brazil has been and remains a crucial supporter of the multilateral system and the United Nations Charter as fundamental pillars of peace and security on a global scale. In these difficult times, the EU counts on Brazil’s adherence to the ongoing efforts to promote peace and the prevalence of democracy and sovereignty in an urgent environment that threatens the values we share.
After the war in Ukraine, the world will never be the same again. Now more than ever, societies and alliances must stand together to build a common future of trust, justice and freedom. The time has come to stand up and express yourself boldly. Power does not make right. Never did. It never will.
