What does the AFUO ask the international community do?
Why the AFUO considers Australia must strongly support Ukraine!
Vladimir Putin’s constant harassment and threatening of Ukraine cannot simply be dealt with by Ukraine.
From 1991, when Ukraine became an independent country, Putin and other leaders of the Russian Federation have never accepted its independence. Putin seems to think he has some historical right to Ukraine.
One should not be surprised because Russia has attacked, violated, and never allowed Ukraine to break the centuries-old shackles.
Today Ukraine, and former republics of the USSR, have all broken their shackles. Many are now well-developed countries integrated into Europe.
However, Putin persists with his international mind games, translated into military buildups and threats to sovereignty and territorial integrity.
His latest attempt at the military buildup on Ukraine’s borders and threats of invasion have been created to pressure Ukraine and Ukraine’s allies to succumb.
Placing demands on Western leaders to not accept Ukraine into NATO, to advocate for a pro-Russian position in resolving the war in eastern Ukraine with Russia, are but some of his methods of deception.
The Russian boots currently on Ukraine’s borders threaten Ukraine, its neighbours, and the international community. Any Russian boots crossing over into Ukrainian soil crush Ukrainian sovereignty. If that occurs, what will happen to others?
If Russian aggression in Ukraine is not stopped, if there is no full military support for Ukraine, the West has and will have much for which to answer. The West has a responsibility under the Budapest Convention to protect Ukraine.
One thing is for sure – Ukraine and Ukrainians will not sit idle. Military forces are building, volunteers are signing up, and the reservist list is growing.
Civil society outlined its red lines to the Zelensky Government at the start of his term.
There must not be any compromise relating to Ukraine’s sovereignty; There cannot be any negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine and Ukrainians. Russia is an aggressor and cannot be treated as a negotiator or mediator.
Whilst diplomacy is about giving and taking, giving something to those that have created the situation, who have not respected international accords, who through military threat and boots on the ground have caused instability, cannot be an equal partner in negotiations. To use a mathematical term, they are in the minus – and nowhere near zero where discussions should start.
Ukraine’s position should be clear and uncompromising:
- Russian forces out of Ukraine – a total withdrawal from Eastern Ukraine
- Crimea is Ukraine
- No interference from Russia regarding Ukraine’s road to Europe and NATO.
Anything less will only see the situation escalate. Pressure needs to be put on Putin to ensure there is no escalation and his demands are not met.
If Putin is let loose in Ukraine, what will be the situation in the Indo Pacific region? What steps might China take if Russia is given the green light?
Ukraine’s civil society and the diaspora have started an ongoing international campaign #SayNOto Putin.
Campaigns in Ukraine, the USA, Europe, and Australia send a strong message that Government needs to understand that Putin must be stopped.
The campaign will continue to highlight the need for support and that Ukraine will not fold and will not take the easy road.
Too much has been fought for too long by too many; too many lives have been lost on the eastern front in the war with Russia to walk away or find a diplomatic resolution that sees Ukraine lose again.
Not this time!
But we now have a confirmed element: the alliance between Russia and China.
The AFUO position for some time has been that if Russia’s aggression goes unchecked, this will be a ‘red light’ for China and its ambitions towards Taiwan.
The recent joint statement by President Xi and President Putin, issued last week on the eve of the Beijing Winter Olympics, sees the Ukraine and Taiwan as similar scenarios..
And what does that mean for Australia? Australia needs to be front and centre of these issues. Support for Ukraine is an investment in the future national security for Australia.
The Ukrainian World Congress and the AFUO call on the international community to continue to support Ukraine and our WE STAND WITH YOU and SayNOtoPUTIN campaign.
We can all play a part in these campaigns. If not us, then who? If not you, then who?
Stefan Romaniw OAM
Co-chair Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations
1st Vice President, Ukrainian World Congress
