On 28 June 2018, Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) President Eugene Czolij fulfilled a working visit to Brussels, Belgium, where he addressed the conference “Making Рeace in Donbas: The Role of a Peacekeeping Mission” (Conference) which took place in the European Parliament, and held meetings with high-ranking officials of the European Union (EU), Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and Ukraine to further within the international community continued support for Ukraine.
As a panelist during the session “Creating a viable peacekeeping force”, the UWC President began his presentation by reminding participants of the Conference of the consequences of the military actions of the Russian Federation in the Donbas, including over 11,000 deaths, 25,000 injured, and the internal displacement of over 1.5 million residents. He also highlighted that, since the start of the war, over 2,500 people have been victims of exploding landmines and 1.9 million live on territories littered with landmines. In addition, 3.4 million people currently require humanitarian assistance, 2.2 million – health care and 1.2 million – food aid. In total, the war has affected the lives of 4.4 million people in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. Subsequently, Eugene Czolij emphasized the importance of ending the Russian aggression as swiftly as possibly, which is in the best interest of not only Ukraine, but the international community since Ukraine is, in fact, preventing the further advance of Russian aggression to the West.
The Conference, organized by the Atlantic Council jointly with European Parliament groups – Greens/European Free Alliance and Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe”, was attended by representatives of the European Union, civil society and mass media.
During his meetings with high-ranking officials, the UWC President highlighted the need to effectively support Ukraine in the fight against the hybrid aggression of the Russian Federation, including the establishment of conditions for the deployment of an UN peacekeeping mission to Eastern Ukraine and an OSCE monitoring mission to occupied Crimea. In addition, Eugene Czolij focused attention on the danger of the Nord Stream II gas pipeline project and called to take measures to stop this project. The UWC President also highlighted the importance of presenting during the upcoming EU-Ukraine Summit an objective analysis of the latest significant reforms in Ukraine, and the need for their continued support.
The UWC President, while in Belgium, was accompanied by Director of the UWC Mission to International Organizations in Brussels Maryna Iaroshevych and Deputy Director Dmytro Panchuk.
“The Conference was successful and offered an opportunity to discuss conditions imperative to the deployment of an UN peacekeeping mission to the Donbas,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij. “The Ukrainian World Congress will continue to contribute in every way possible to securing peace on Ukrainian lands.”
While in Brussels, the UWC President was interviewed by National Information Agency of Ukraine UKRINFORM correspondent Andrii Lavrenuk.
List of individuals with whom the UWC President met:
Costello Daniel J., Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to the EU
Dóczy Michael, Member of the Cabinet of EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations
Freundenstein Roland, Policy Director at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies
Hug Alexander, Principal Deputy Chief Monitor, OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine
Harms Rebecca, Member of the European Parliament, Member of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Co-Chair of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly
Kniazhnytskyi Viacheslav, Director of the Representative Office of National Joint Stock Company “Naftogaz of Ukraine” in Brussels
Saryusz-Wolski Jacek, Member of the European Parliament, Member of the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee, Member of the Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly
View video of the opening remarks to the session “Creating a viable peacekeeping force” by UWC President Eugene Czolij HERE.
View video of the session “Creating a viable peacekeeping force” HERE.
In the photo: E. Czolij delivering opening remarks to the session “Creating a viable peacekeeping force”
From left: H.- D. Lucas, M. Mendras, J. Sherr, E. Czolij and A. Hug
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