Europe and the USA Must Be Active, We Must Not Give Terrorism Any Chance, - Ukrainian President at NATO Assembly
Today, on the final day of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Denmark, Volodymyr Zelensky called on the international community to unite and combat terrorism.
In his address, he emphasized that Hamas and Russia employ similar terrorist tactics. Israeli journalists in Ukraine, who witnessed the consequences of Russia's atrocities, now see the same happening in their own country.
Speaking via video link, he said that the world could agree on a set of definitions for terrorism, making it clear: "Do not commit violence against women. Do not kill. Do not treat children as trophies. Do not drench villages and cities in blood. Do not shoot civilians in cars."
"It's the same evil, with the only difference being that this is a terrorist organization that attacked Israel, and here, it's a terrorist state that invaded Ukraine," Zelensky stated.
The President of Ukraine also linked Iran to the invasion of Ukraine and the attack on Israel. He emphasized that Iran cannot claim to have nothing to do with what is happening in Ukraine if it is selling Shahed drones to Russia. He also noted that Iran cannot assert that it has nothing to do with what is happening in Israel when its officials express support for Hamas.
"How far can such evil go? Only as far as we allow it. Our unity must and can stop evil. Our desire for peace, not their thirst for blood, should determine the world's course. Our rules, based on international law, not their attempts to make death the norm," Zelensky added.
Hinting at the situation in the USA, the President of Ukraine stated that "now is not the time to exit the international arena for internal disputes. It is not the time to isolate oneself. It is not the time to remain silent or pretend that terrorism on one continent does not affect global affairs."
"Europe must be active. The USA must be active. China, India, Arab states must feel how much can crumble if they allow terrorists to achieve their goals. Turkey, Brazil, all of Latin America, Japan, Australia, Canada, African states, Central Asian states, Korea, Pakistan, Indonesia, the Caribbean, Pacific states - everyone must be active in defending life and international law. We must not give terrorism any chance," he concluded.
The NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Denmark took place from October 6 to 9. All 274 members of parliament representing 31 NATO member countries, along with approximately 100 members from 25 partner countries and parliamentary organizations, discussed key topics on the Euro-Atlantic defence and security agenda and assessed the outcomes and key decisions made at the NATO Summit in Vilnius in July.
On the eve of the parliamentary assembly, parliamentarians from NATO countries discussed the impact of the war in Ukraine on the energy sector and the importance of aiding Kyiv in reconstruction efforts even before the cessation of hostilities.