Vladimir Putin “hates the West” and will stop at nothing in his attempt to derail democracy, a Ukrainian MP and former government minister has said.
And Inna Sovsun offered a sobering message to anyone who believes Russia’s war on her country has nothing to do with them – warning that Putin’s malign influence would continue to spread if he is not stopped.
Ms Sovsun, a member of Ukraine’s Rada, or Parliament, and a former education minister, spoke before the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion on February 24, 2022.
She said: “It’s the West that he really hates, and he chose to attack Ukraine, not because we did anything except that we said that we want to be part of the European space, we want to be part of the of Western civilisation.
“That was the only reason why he attacked us. It’s not like we did anything to provoke that.
“So I think that that is what is important for the people of Western Europe to remember.
“Unfortunately, you have to admit the fact that Putin hates you, and he will do everything in his power, which is growing right now, to undermine your way of living.
“Everybody else is at risk as well, it’s not just Ukraine. So everybody should remember that if you want to have a more stable society to grow in, you should fight against Putin one way or another.”
Ms Sovsun also had a message for European leaders, with US President Donald Trump pushing for a peace deal with Russia that excludes them from negotiations.
She explained: “There has to be a concrete plan of action. You can’t simply say that what Trump is doing is unacceptable.
“What Europe should do is figure out what sort of weapons they have in their coffers and send it all over to Ukraine.
“If all we get is Europeans saying that they’re outraged, that’s not going to help us.
“So I think it’s critically important now for Europeans to do something.
”And I think sending a very big military package aid, a military aid package is going speak better than any big public announcements that they’re making now.”
A two-day gathering of the Group of 20 nations in Johannesburg devoted much time to discussing the situation in Ukraine – but there was no senior US delegation in attendance.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy, referring to Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, said on Thursday: “I have to say when I listened to what the Russians and what Lavrov have just said … I don’t see an appetite to really get to that peace.”
French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that if Ukraine were to capitulate, it would “set a terrible example for every country in the world that would then be under the threat of predation by its bigger neighbour”.