Ms O'CONNOR (Clark - Leader of the Greens) - Mr Speaker, I was not going to speak on the adjournment tonight but seeing that others have taken the opportunity, I will too.
I wanted to note that a Russian armed convoy around 64 kilometres long is right now descending on the Ukraine capital of Kyiv and to read into the Hansard a joint statement by the Greens of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in connection with the military political expansion of the Russian Federation.
Mr Speaker, as you well know, the Greens are a party that always supports peace and non-violence but so too are we a party who fiercely defends democracy. This is a statement from Kyiv on February 26 this year:
We, representatives of the Green Parties of the countries of the Associated Trio of Eastern Partnership, reject any encroachment on the sovereignty of our states by the Russian Federation, guided by the neo-imperial logic of an aggressor resurrecting in the 21st century the stereotypes of the Cold War and the medieval law of force, ignoring the norms of international law, today poses one of the greatest threats to peace and security both on a European and global scale.
Thirty years of presence of Russian troops on the territory of Moldova, the invasion of Georgia in 2008, eight years of a hybrid war with Ukraine and a new large-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, characterize the foreign policy of the Russian Federation much more convincingly than the "peace-loving" demagoguery of its leaders.
Russia's desire to form some kind of special sphere of influence, argued, in particular, by the chauvinistic idea of the "Russian world", forces even the most staunch supporters of a neutral status among neighbouring states to reconsider their position in search of military and political protection from increasing geopolitical pressure.
With persistence worthy of a better cause, the Russian Government is imposing a senseless confrontation on Europe and the United States, trampling on all the achievements of the world community in the field of international security. At the same time, even in the conditions of extreme aggravation of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, some states of the European Union take an ambivalent position, trying to treat Russia's claims "with understanding". It is sad that among them there are also countries participating in the Normandy format negotiations, the meaning of which is not to appease the aggressor but to restore the status quo.
We, the Greens of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine are convinced that the solution of the problems created by Russia in relations with our countries and generating threats to common European interests is possible only in the conditions of unity and a tough position of the European Union with strict adherence to the norms and principles of international law, without immoral and destructive compromises in the name of business as usual. With regard to Russia, all possible measures of influence must be applied. The amorphous position and palliative measures in the matter of protecting European values have no justification, as well as the manifestations of the "Stockholm Syndrome" in relation to a terrorist state that today has taken the entire civilised world hostage.
Remaining committed to the principles of non violence, we are forced to admit that the only way to stop the current bloody marching of the aggressor across Ukraine is by using military force. Russia itself tightly closed the "window of opportunity" in the sphere of diplomacy. We call on all European countries to recognize this cruel reality and ensure the supply of lethal weapons to Ukraine, where the battle between Good and Evil is taking place today, the outcome of which will determine the future of the continent and the whole world.
We call on the European Greens to show courage and solidarity in supporting our stance for a better common future.
Signed
Chairman of the Green's Party of Ukraine, Vitaly Kononov
Chairman of the Green's Party of Georgia, Gia Gachechiladze
Chairman of the Greens Party of Moldova, Anatolie Prohnitchi
Chairman of the Ecological Green Party of Moldova, Anatolie Prohnitchi