Windhoek, Feb. 24 — The Honourable Venaani has keenly been following the unfolding of the events on the international stage, particularly as the Russian Federation and her President, Vladimir Putin laid claim to Ukraine as a country as Russia continues to hint at a wider military campaign.
More concerning to the Honourable Venaani is President Vladimir Putin’s recognition of the territorial claims of the self-declared separatist republics in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine and the unyielding advancement of military action, in a move that has the potential to significantly increase the risk of a war between the two countries and a display of utter
disregard for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and international law.
The Honourable Venaani, as a staunch advocate for peace, affirms that war should be avoided at all costs and nations must resist aggression insistently. He urges the nations on the brink of armed conflict to learn from the past and remember that the cost of war is human life and such cost must never be paid, particularly where the leaders of the five nuclear-weapon states or the P5 are involved.
Furthermore, the Honourable Venaani feels particularly disgruntled at the Russian Federation’s actions against Ukraine as the current crisis echoes the independence and self-determination of many African countries which inherited borders drawn by their former colonial powers that didn’t adhere to historical and cultural bonds. Consequently, the Honourable Venaani condemns the actions of President Putin and calls on Russia to not only cease all military action against Ukraine but to return to the negotiating table and seek an amicable and diplomatic route out for both countries as the UN Charter reads in article 2(4): “All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.” He further calls on Russia to cancel her recognition of the independence of the separatist regions and to immediately withdraw its occupation troops sent there by Putin under the guise of peacekeeping.
Finally, the Honourable Venaani advises both Russia and Ukraine to relentlessly pursue the path of de-escalation, rather than confrontation and ensure that the inevitable after-effects of war -death and destruction – do not befall their people or the people of the world.
