“At the UN there will be a resolution on the anniversary of the Russian aggression against Ukraine: we will see who votes and how”

Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba gave an interview to the Latin American media as part of an activity organized by the Inter-American Press Association, the IAPA. Among them Clarin.

Representatives of fifty SIP media partners attended. And it was organized nine days after the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin’s forces, which unleashed a bloody, protracted war, with the indirect but open participation of NATO, and above all an economic and humanitarian crisis of huge scope.

Before answering this newspaper’s questions, Kuleba introduced the Volodimir Zelenski government’s view of foreign policy on this war. And he recognized above all that “unfortunately the relations between Ukraine and Latin American countries they lost focus“.

He said it was “a fault on both sides, right from the start” because “we traditionally had a certain perception and understanding of who the closest allies were in Latin America and the Caribbean, and who was further away.”

He acknowledged that for “a long time” the focus of his country’s foreign policy has been aimed primarily at its traditional allies in Europe and North America. By the way, the war in Ukraine found that country’s embassy without ambassador to Argentina, where the highest representative of Ukraine has remained since 2019 charge d’affaires Sergiy Nebrat.

“This year, in 2023, we will work much more on our commitment to Latin America. Ukraine has the predisposition to develop deeper political, economic, cultural and humanitarian ties with Latin America and the Caribbean region,” she said.

“This time the time has come to widen our ties and make up for the previous lack of attention”, said the foreign minister and listed a series of contacts of the Zelensky government with “Guatemala”, with, with Chile, with Mexico.

-What is your opinion on the attitude of President Alberto Fernández and his government towards the invasion of Ukraine, taking into account his visit to Moscow in February 2022 and his current alliance with Putin. Do you think support for Ukraine is enough?

-I believe that all countries have the right to choose their foreign policy. And also define the balance with respect to international situations. I think at the same time there are some comparative points that make the situation very clear. One of them is the vote in favor of the general resolutions of the United Nations, in response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine. This is really telling, because this is when a country makes its position clear, where it is.

-The Fernández government has voted against the invasion in international resolutions…

-The second point of reference I would like to mention is whether any country provides practical solutions for Ukraine given the circumstances of the Russian aggression.

-Lavrov has asked to come to Argentina at the end of March as part of a tour of Brazil, Venezuela and Cuba

-The third criterion I would like to mention is shaking hands with President Putin and Minister Lavrov. Because their hands are stained with the blood of Ukrainian civilians, women and children. Their hands are stained with the blood of their own citizens, who in the cruellest way are sent to the front lines unprepared and who die in this bloody war. So these are the things we look at.

I recently did not have the opportunity to speak with the Argentine foreign minister. I look forward to contacting the new Brazilian foreign minister. But again, any country can strike a balance if it chooses to. But there are some indicators that make it easier to identify where the country really stands. A resolution on the anniversary of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the tragic anniversary, will be considered and voted on in the General Assembly, and this will be an indicative moment. We will see who and how will vote.

– Are you satisfied with the attitude of the Argentine government over the last year?

I am a foreign minister. I cannot be satisfied, by definition. I always want more from everyone and I am always ready to give more to people. It’s not the kind of emotion I base my decisions on, whether I’m satisfied or not. I take Argentina for what it is. I told you the criteria we use to evaluate the positions of any country. But we shouldn’t be guided by emotions on these issues.

In the interview, the Ukrainian minister said that last year Zelensky started a process of deepening relations with some countries of the region. He’s had some setbacks that he hasn’t addressed. For example, you were unable, as you would have liked, to give a speech either at the Mercosur summit or at the CELAC summit.

“My president and I have had dozens of contacts with Latin American partners. In July, we welcomed the President of Guatemala to Kiev, who became the first Latin American leader to visit Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion. I also became a special guest at the annual conference of the ambassadors of Guatemala and the parliamentary delegations of Chile and Mexico, ahead of what he called the “Foreign Policy Strategy for Latin America, a document that covers all spheres and areas and defines clear goals and objectives for our foreign policy for years to come,” he said.

In this sense, he said that it was his government’s intention to seek support here, in the resolutions of the United Nations and international organizations.

“Deprive Russia of its observer status in the Organization of American States, in April 2022 it was also a very important step. We appreciate the humanitarian aid that has arrived from several Latin American countries in recent months,” he said without mentioning countries that, like Argentina, supported Russia’s withdrawal as an observer at the UN Human Rights Council but not all over the world. ‘DARE.

He insisted on respect for the United Nations Charter. He stated that “all nations, regardless of size or wealth, should enjoy their sovereignty and not remain at the mercy of more powerful nations. And therefore, the most important issue and the most important request, an appeal to all leaders of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, to put neutrality aside and choose the right side of history”.