We are still in world war 1 and 2 eras. Nothing changed in the last 8 decades. Might is Right still now in this world of power. Laws, Agreements, International Conventions, and UN charters have no value when it is all about some weak nation fighting for their defense only against a powerful nation. The world did not learn a lesson, did not take notice of the miseries of Palestinian and Kashmiri people and now the world is watching the same in their own case of Ukraine.
Putin annexed 4 Ukrainian regions, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, and the world including the above-mentioned world and regional organizations could do nothing except watch as useless spectators only. They again just condemned, warned, and blamed Russia which they have been doing already since 24 Feb 2022. Thousands of Ukrainians including civilians, elderly, women, and children were deprived of their lives by the invading military.
The Foreign Minister of Ukraine has reacted strongly to Putin’s annexation. He tweeted, “By attempting to annex Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, Putin tries to grab territories he doesn’t even physically control on the ground. Nothing changes for Ukraine: we continue liberating our land and our people, restoring our territorial integrity.”
“The suggested elements of the upcoming EU sanctions package on Russia do not correspond to the scale of Putin’s escalation and the threat he poses to Europe and the whole world. We encourage the EU to hit Putin harder in order to stop him. This is a crucial moment.” Mr. Kuleba continued.
Following Putin’s annexation attempts, Ukraine has officially informed the International Court of Justice that this step blatantly violates its legally binding Order on Provisional measures issued on March 16th. We urge the Court to hear the case on merits as soon as possible.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Speaking at a news conference before Putin’s annexation announcement, had warned that formal annexation would further jeopardize the prospects for peace.It is time to step back from the brink and end this devastating and senseless war. He said that annexation would have “no legal value”.
Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary-general of the NATO military alliance, said Russia’s recent actions constituted the most serious escalation of the seven-month war. Putin has mobilized hundreds of thousands of more troops, engaged in irresponsible nuclear saber rattling, and now illegally annexed more Ukrainian territory. Together, this represents the most serious escalation since the start of the war. He reaffirmed unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
United States President Joe Biden said, “Make no mistake: these actions have no legitimacy. The United States will always honor Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders, USA would rally the international community to both denounce these moves and to hold Russia accountable.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Twitter the US had taken swift and severe measures in response to President Putin’s attempt to annex regions of Ukraine – a clear violation of international law. We will continue to impose costs on anyone that provides political or economic support for this sham.
The members of the European Council reacted this way,“We will never recognize this illegal annexation. We firmly reject and unequivocally condemn the illegal annexation by Russia of Ukraine’s regions. By wilfully undermining the rules-based international order and blatantly violating the fundamental rights of Ukraine to independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, core principles as enshrined in the UN Charter and international law, Russia is putting global security at risk. Russia had “engineered” the outcome of the vote held in the occupied provinces and had used its doctored results “as a pretext for this further violation of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity”.
European Council President Charles Michel, in a message addressed to European citizens, said Putin’s move was “designed to intensify the nuclear threat against the rest of the world” and should be considered “an aggression against our fundamental freedoms and democratic principles”.
European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, responded,“ The Commission is proposing a new package of biting sanctions against Russia The illegal annexation proclaimed by Putin won’t change anything. All territories illegally occupied by Russian invaders are Ukrainian land and will always be part of this sovereign nation.
Group of Seven (G7) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States foreign ministers said they would never recognize Russia’s annexation move, nor the sham referenda conducted at gunpoint. Putin’s annexation efforts constitute a new low point in Russia’s blatant flouting of international law.
Poland is the neighboring country of both Russia and Ukraine. The Polish foreign ministry also condemned the signature of the annexation treaties as it called for an increase in military support for Kyiv and more sanctions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns in the strongest terms the illegal acts of recognition of independence and incorporation into the Russian Federation of parts of Ukraine’s regions.
British Prime Minister Liz Truss said in a statement,“Putin cannot be allowed to alter international borders using brute force. We will ensure he loses this illegal war . Putin has, once again, acted in violation of international law with clear disregard for the lives of the Ukrainian people he claims to represent. UK would never accept the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia as anything other than Ukrainian territory.”
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Russia’s annexation. He said,” the move represented a serious violation of both international law and Ukraine’s sovereignty. France is opposed to this and stands by Ukraine’s side as it faces Russia’s aggression and recovers full sovereignty on the entirety of its territory.”
Greek foreign ministry stated, ” The decision is illegal as it violates blatantly international law and it is void.”
Italian leader Giorgia Meloni, winner of a recent parliamentary election criticized Putin as, “ Russian President once again demonstrates his Soviet-style, neo-imperialist vision that threatens the security of the entire European continent. The declaration of annexation to the Russian Federation of four Ukrainian regions following sham referendums held under violent military occupation has no legal or political value. This further violation by Russia of the rules of coexistence between nations confirms the need for unity by Western democracies.”
The outgoing Prime Minister Mario Draghi said Italy would never recognize the annexation.
Prime Minister of Sweden, Magdalena Andersson said, “It’s nothing but a complete farce.We condemn the illegal annexation in the strongest terms.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands rejects the annexation as, ” The Netherlands will never recognize this annexation, just as we don’t recognize the annexation of Crimea.”
The spokesperson of MOFA of the Republic of Korea condemned the annexation “The Korean government strongly condemns Russia’s armed invasion against Ukraine as a violation of the principles of the UN Charter. Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence should be respected. The Korean government does not recognize the referenda held in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson and Russia’s annexation of the Ukrainian territory as legitimate.
In spite of all this reaction, and condemnation, as a matter of fact, Russia has done what Putin had planned to keep NATO away from its borders. President Zelenski has asked for NATO membership on the earliest basis after the annexation. It means the escalation will be observed in the coming days which can take more innocent lives. As long as the world’s reaction is concerned, the same reactions were noted when Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014. Nothing could be done to take Crimea back from Russian occupation. I fear nothing can be done now on the annexation of 4 more regions of Ukraine.
(The author is the editor of an Urdu newspaper and English news portal in Islamabad Pakistan. He carries the experience of writing on international affairs for 2 decades. He can be reached at https://twitter.com/TAZEEN303 -https://www.facebook.com/tazeen.akhtar.14 -tazeen303@gmail.com)
