Ukraine's right to exist should not be compromised in favor of Russia’s claims of "legitimate security concerns," according to Kyiv's foreign minister.
Andrii Sybiha made the comments at a session of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) ministerial council in Malta on Thursday.
The minister told delegates that Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, has perpetrated "a scale of atrocities" not seen on the continent since the Second World War.
"Moscow tries to justify all of this with the so-called 'legitimate security concerns.' But my nation’s right to exist is not Russia’s legitimate security concern. My nation's choice of its own future is not Russia’s legitimate security concern.
"In fact, Russia itself is the biggest security concern for the world. For hundreds of years," Sybiha said.
Possible proposals for resolving the war in Ukraine have come into sharper focus since Donald Trump was elected U.S. president in November.
The president-elect claimed on the campaign trail that he would end the conflict within 24 hours of returning to the White House.
The minister told delegates that Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, has perpetrated "a scale of atrocities" not seen on the continent since the Second World War.
"Moscow tries to justify all of this with the so-called 'legitimate security concerns.' But my nation’s right to exist is not Russia’s legitimate security concern. My nation's choice of its own future is not Russia’s legitimate security concern.
"In fact, Russia itself is the biggest security concern for the world. For hundreds of years," Sybiha said.
Possible proposals for resolving the war in Ukraine have come into sharper focus since Donald Trump was elected U.S. president in November.
The president-elect claimed on the campaign trail that he would end the conflict within 24 hours of returning to the White House.
Sybiha said on Wednesday that the region should not be split into spheres of influence and that Russia must be "forced" into accepting a "just peace."
He urged allies to avoid a "second Yalta" - referring to the 1945 conference, held in the Soviet Union during the Second World War, which resulted in the division of Europe into pro-Western and pro-Soviet blocs for several decades.
"These [Russian military] actions demand strong responses," said Sybiha.
"Peace through strength. Not appeasement. We must raise the cost of the war for the aggressor. We must force Moscow to accept a just peace. We must demonstrate strength and unity in the face of blackmail. Now is the time to defend our principles, not simply declare them."
Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, is also attending the two-day OSCE council, in a rare visit to an EU member state.
Several international delegates, including the Polish foreign minister, walked out of a high-profile meeting on Thursday in protest at Lavrov's presence.
He urged allies to avoid a "second Yalta" - referring to the 1945 conference, held in the Soviet Union during the Second World War, which resulted in the division of Europe into pro-Western and pro-Soviet blocs for several decades.
"These [Russian military] actions demand strong responses," said Sybiha.
"Peace through strength. Not appeasement. We must raise the cost of the war for the aggressor. We must force Moscow to accept a just peace. We must demonstrate strength and unity in the face of blackmail. Now is the time to defend our principles, not simply declare them."
Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, is also attending the two-day OSCE council, in a rare visit to an EU member state.
Several international delegates, including the Polish foreign minister, walked out of a high-profile meeting on Thursday in protest at Lavrov's presence.
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