Deputy PM Stefanishyna: UN’s hesitation hinders peace and prosperity in Europe

"Ukraine is committed to the values and Sustainable Development Goals set to be achieved by 2030. Since 2015, we have launched a series of reforms in the country that have developed our economic potential and democracy. However, it is now impossible to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals due to the full-scale armed aggression that Russia has launched against Ukraine," Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna said during the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, hosted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the Government portal informs.

The official stressed that the UN Economic Commission for Europe, established in 1947, was to help rebuild post-war Europe, promote economic development and strengthen economic relations between European countries.

"However, on February 24, 2022, all the efforts of the international community and this organization to restore and develop on the European continent, as well as abroad, were undermined by Russia’s armed attack," said the Deputy Prime Minister.

As noted, the Russian armed forces, which operate in particular from the territory of Belarus, shell kindergartens and schools, universities, hospitals, food and fuel depots, etc. About 11 million people in Ukraine have been forced to flee their homes.

"At the same time, I regret to admit that some member states of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe are still reluctant to strongly oppose the aggression. This makes it extremely difficult to achieve peace and prosperity on the European continent. I am deeply convinced that the desire of Ukrainians to live in an independent, prosperous, and democratic state is much stronger than our enemy's desire to undermine the foundations of European security, and the victory of good over evil is only a matter of time," Stefanishyna said.

The Deputy Prime Minister also focused on the threat of the global food crisis posed by Russia's armed aggression.

On February 24, Russian president Putin started a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops shell and destroy key infrastructure, massively fire on residential areas of Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages using artillery, MLRS, and ballistic missiles.

Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced.

ol