The European Union Delegation to Tajikistan and the Embassy of Ukraine in Dushanbe jointly invited Tajik authorities, Tajikistan-based diplomats, the Ukrainian diaspora and international partners on February 24 2025, to honor the resilience of the people of Ukraine and express the solidarity of the international community in their fight against Russia’s war of aggression.
“While the day marks the third year of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the war of aggression started in 2014, when Russia temporarily occupied the Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula and invaded Ukraine’s Eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk,” says the statement.
“Sovereignty and territorial integrity are the cornerstone of international order; Russia wages a neo-colonial war against a sovereign member of the international community. Russia proved that it cannot be trusted. It breaks international law, including the UN Charter while being a permanent member of the UN Security Council. It completely disregards its own legal obligations, international or bilateral agreements and clear commitments it made to respect Ukrainian sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, whenever it wants to push its interest. Russia has proven repeatedly that it does not hesitate to use military force to achieve what it wants disregarding UN Charter and international law.
“The Russian invasion is a blatant violation of international law, a direct threat on peace and security, far beyond Europe, and an unacceptable challenge to economic stability, energy and food security.
“Russia’s February 2022 attack intended to destroy the Ukrainian state within weeks. Ukraine is still standing and fighting back. Despite overwhelming Russian pressure, Ukraine continues to hold a part of Russia’s Kursk oblast; it managed to considerably slow down recent Russian advances. 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]. Even under permanent drone and missile attacks, Ukrainians remain resilient and continue to rebuild, reform and invest in their future.
“No one wants peace more than Ukraine. There can be no decision on Ukraine and on Europe without Ukraine and Europe’s engagement. Only a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine can be the basis for restoration of the international security and is a necessary condition for a strong transatlantic security. A peaceful Ukraine can be an innovative powerhouse, a security provider and a reliable partner for energy and food security, for Central Asian countries, including Tajikistan.
“Russia continues sending thousands of men into battle, launching missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, resulting in civilian casualties and hard damages to critical infrastructure. Ukraine should be provided with strong security guarantees. The fight for freedom against tyranny is undergoing a crucial moment and requires, more than ever, our commitment, our solidarity and our unity.
The Embassies of France, Germany and the United Kingdom to the Republic of Tajikistan associated themselves with this Joint Statement.”
