On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation invaded the People’s Republic of Ukraine – a unitary state with a semi-presidential government – in an escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War that started in 2014. The invasion became the largest attack on a European country since World War II.
To mark the occasion of the second year of the ongoing invasion, Denmark’s Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Tom Nørring, shared his thoughts with the Business & Financial Times in an interview at the Embassy of Denmark in Ghana, located in the heart of the capital city, Accra.
Ambassador Nørring reiterated that Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine is unjustified, unprovoked, irresponsible and illegal, which has led to a change in the European security architecture and challenged the international rules-based order with long-term effects for Ukraine, Europe and the rest of the world.
According to him, sovereignty and territorial integrity are the cornerstone of international order, indicating that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine creates a dangerous precedent for the rest of the world and ought to be stopped.
He further highlighted that the war has brought immense human suffering to the Ukrainian people. The spirit and perseverance of the Ukrainians in the face of such hardship is impressive and inspiring. This gives hope for Ukraine’s long-term ability to withstand Russia’s aggression.
Ambassador Nørring emphasised that “together with our partners and allies in the European Union, The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and globally, we strongly condemn Russia’s unlawful aggression, and we stand firmly with Ukraine in this difficult time, providing unwavering and long-term support.
“We are encouraged by the strong signals of support for Ukraine sent by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, which has demanded Russia’s unconditional withdrawal. In this regard, we are especially pleased with the strong stance that Ghana has taken, stressing the need for Russia to respect rule of law.”
As a close neighbour to Ukraine, Denmark has supported Ukraine from the very start of the invasion, and Ambassador Nørring revealed that his country will continue to support the war-torn country.
The goal is to reach a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine, in line with the Ukrainian Peace Formula, the UN Charter and international law. They will continue working to maintain the broad, cross-regional alliance in defense of Ukraine’s sovereignty and the basic principles of the UN Charter.
Russia’s war has severe negative consequences for people in all corners of the world, and Denmark will continue to be at the forefront of global efforts to combat and mitigate the triple crises on food, energy and finance. Even under attack, Ukraine manages to safeguard its exports and contribute to global food security in spite of Russian blockades, missiles and unilateral pull out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
In his conclusion, Ambassador Nørring stated that with the ‘Solidarity Lanes’ and the Black Sea Corridor, the EU and Ukraine work to keep global food prices stable.
