Kyslytsya: Russia seeks to use COVID-19 pandemic to intensify contradictions within EU

06.04.2020 10:43

Ukrinform

Russia seeks to use coronavirus pandemic to intensify contradictions within the European Union.

"I understand and agree that the European Union must demonstrate unity, because a part of Russia’s ‘COVID’ plan is to use coronavirus pandemic to intensify the contradictions within the European Union, and thus to break it, at least politically,” Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations Serhiy Kyslytsya told the Voice of America, commenting on Russia's attempts to adopt a resolution on coronavirus at the UN General Assembly.

As noted, the draft contained wording on the abolition of international sanctions. According to the Ukrainian diplomat, the Russian side demonstrates professionalism, striving to achieve its goal.

Moscow develops multi-level and multi-step plans, Kyslytsya emphasized.

The Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations also stressed that Ukraine's position on Russia’s draft resolution had been supported by a big number of states. Kyslytsya drew particular attention to the EU's position on the Russian project. The EU made a stand against the Russian wording a few minutes before the end of the vote.

Ukraine’s Permanent Representative noted that the crisis caused by coronavirus could become, by a twist of fate, an opportunity for the UN, individual countries and regional unions to "get rid of the old methods" and to start to use new technologies more broadly while preserving democracy.

The UN General Assembly adopted the resolution on global solidarity in the fight against COVID-19, initiated by Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Ghana, Indonesia, and Singapore. The resolution points to the "unprecedented consequences" of the pandemic and calls for “intensified international cooperation to contain, mitigate and defeat” the pandemic. Ukraine, among other countries, was the co-sponsor of this resolution.

This was preceded by Russia’s submission of its own draft resolution on COVID-19, which required the lifting of international sanctions. Ukraine blocked the draft and was supported by Georgia, the United States, the United Kingdom, the EU and other countries.