BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands Paul Turner has described the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine in Europe as a sad reality.
Mr Turner said when he made his opening remarks at the event to mark the Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) 80th anniversary held at the British High Commissioner’s official residence yesterday.
“We’re here today to honour those who gave their lives in that fight against aggression during World War Two (WWII). But the sad reality is that a new war is waging in Europe today. And all those institutions that were created in some cases just weeks after May 1945 are looking very vulnerable,” said Turner.
He said that there is a new form of fascism rising in Europe, coming from the East, and it seems to be unbridled and unaddressed by many in the multilateral system.
“The multilateral system is doing its best, but there are challenges,” he said.
He said that Russia’s full-scale war of aggression, which started in February 22, continues today, where Ukraine’s guaranteed sovereignty and territorial integrity is under threat and the fundamental rights that Russia itself signed up to in the Charter of the United Nations are now looking to be ripped up and thrown in the bin. Indiscriminate acts by Russia on civilians, infrastructure, executions, torture, continue week in, week out,” said Turner.
He said that while the fall of the Berlin Wall was seen as the end of history in Europe, the current conflict was a new beginning.
“In a way, we were perhaps naive. But what’s crucial is that Ukrainians made their choice, and that’s a choice that Vladimir Putin’s Russia refuses to accept today. So, amongst the hard lessons that we British and Europeans have learned from the Second World War, it’s that the most fundamental rules of international law must always be protected,” he said.
He said that Ukraine is now on the front line of the fight against tyranny and those who want to destroy international law.
“That’s why my government will continue to stand by other governments in Europe and the world to support Ukraine and to get a just end to the war,” Turner concludes.
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