Ambassadors to Luxembourg Stand with Ukraine

On Friday 24 February 2023, the Embassy of Poland in Luxembourg hosted a press conference for LUkraine Asbl which was dedicated to the first anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Inna Yaremenko, Vice-President of LUkraine Asbl, opened proceedings by asking for a minute's silence in memory of the innocent victims and those who died protecting Ukraine. She thanked the Polish Ambassador for hosting the event as well as the country of Poland which has sheltered 1.5 million Ukrainian nationals and has been the  biggest military contributor and humanitarian hub. She also thanked all the ambassadors in Luxembourg for their solidarity and support.

One day earlier, on Thursday 23 February 2023, a solidarity photoshoot (pictured above) brought together various ambassadors as well as political figures and representatives of LUkraine asbl in front of the Golden Lady (Gëlle Fra) in Place de la Constitution. Among those present were Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister François Bausch, the Minister for Family Affairs, Integration and the Greater Region, Corinne Cahen, the Vice-President of the Chamber of Deputies (Luxembourg’s parliament), Mars Di Bartolomeo, the Representative of the European Commission in Luxembourg, Anne Calteux, the Mayor of the City of Luxembourg, Lydie Polfer, Luxembourg MP Claude Wiseler (CSV), the ambassadors of Poland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, Austria, Romania, France, Italy, Belgium, Ireland, Germany, Portugal, Finland, the Czech Republic, Greece, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Spain, as well as the Chargés d'Affaires from the Hungarian and Turkish Embassies in Luxembourg.

At Friday's press conference, Polish Ambassador Piotr Wojtczak spoke in French and expressed his solidarity for the people of Ukraine, stressing the importance of democracy.

Natalia Anoshyna, Chargée d'affaires a.i. of Ukraine to Belgium and Luxembourg, stated she was very grateful to the Polish Embassy for hosting this press conference. She stated that "today is an immensely dark day for Ukraine" and recalled 24 February 2022 when Ukraine woke up to the Russian attack. She said that 44% of Ukraine’s nuclear capacity has been lost and almost 60% of critical infrastructure has been destroyed or damaged, including the loss of cultural heritage. She stated that "there is no doubt that Russia will be held accountable for war crimes". She also mentioned that 44% of Ukraine's territory will need to be de-mined. She called for more pressure on terrorist states, including Russia, which has been recognised as such by a number of countries already. She stated that Russia must be excluded from international organisations and said that Russia (and Belarus) must not be allowed to participate in the Paris Olympic Games and use it for propaganda means. She concluded that all Ukrainians believe in victory, but much much depends on the world: Ukraine and the entire free world is united.

Anne Calteux, Representative of the European Commission in Luxembourg, referred to the sad anniversary of the start of the "terrible war". She added that we need to keep up the spirit of solidarity and community; the new feeling of belonging is something good to have come out of the war. She said that Ukrainians have been very courageous in fighting against Russia and Vladimir Putin. She spoke about democracy and human freedom and that this is something that concerns all of us. She stated that the history of Europe is being written in Ukraine. Ms Calteux recalled that €50 billion has been mobilised by the European Union (EU), and the European Commission is currently working on a €1 million fast-track initiative. "All this has been done in the name of solidarity," she said, before recalling the support of Luxembourg and its citizens. 74% of citizens are in support of economic sanctions and "we want to cripple Russia", she added. To conclude, she stated that the EU will ensure it will do everything it can to hold Russia accountable, for as long as it takes.

Nicolas Zharov, President of LUkraine asbl, recalled the initiative of the Ambassador of France in Luxembourg who took the initiative for a first gathering on 28 February 2022 and for all the ambassadors and others who have showed their support and solidarity. He stressed the they are counting in days, not years. Therefore, the title of the march to be held tomorrow, Saturday 25 February 2023, refers to "365 days of resistance". He talked about the aims of Russia being not just territorial, but also the eradication of the Ukrainian identity and genocide. He added passionately that many of the dead have shown signs of torture and mutilation, and referred to fourteen million displaced Ukrainians, including around 5,000 in Luxembourg. He recalled his meeting with Prime Minister Xavier Bettel on 2 March 2022 as well as his team at LUkraine asbl who have been incredibly busy and supportive. He revealed that Luxembourg has provided more than 1,000 tonnes of humanitarian support to Ukraine, as well as 26 ambulances and six fire engines, with more scheduled to be sent next week. He mentioned a number of achievements including opening a Ukrainian school, but stressed that there is much to be done in the future. He concluded by stating that the Russian model would lead to global anarchy, so the international community must unite for a democratic and united Europe. "Stay united, stay strong and stand with Ukraine," he concluded.