“Ukrainians are ready to fight until the last bullet, but we do not want to get short of bullets”. This was the strong message by Ukrainian MP Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, delivered at a seminar hosted by the European Parliament on the occasion of International Women’s Day. The MP said that with Europe’s reinforcements, Ukrainians will protect themselves but we will also protect Europe and the transatlantic community as well.
In a series of touching interventions by Ukrainian MPs hailing from different political platforms, Klympush – who also Chairs her country’s Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the European Union asked governments to back her country with air defence, planes, military assistance, with fuel and medical kits.
At the same time, she called for tougher sanctions on the Russian Federation, claiming that only 15 % from Russian banking system that was cut from SWIFT. She also called for a total ban on importation of oil and gas. “I know it hurts, but if you don’t want this Russian spills this war all over your places with no reason I think your actions will not only save Ukrainian lives, it will save lives across the world”, she appealed.
Fellow MP Inna Sovsun, a member of the Ukrainian opposition appealed in favour of the introduction of a no-fly zone, which so far appears to be a rubicon that Western governments are afraid to stop as it would imply shooting down Russian planes on Ukrainian airspace, a move which could devastatingly escalate the conflict.
Sovsun argued that without a no fly zone above Ukraine, Russians “will continue to bombard our cities.”
Sovsun’s warned European leaders that “Putin is Hitler of our times”, warning that if he is allowed to take over Ukraine, he will not hesitate to takeover Poland.
Closing the seminar, EP President Roberta Metsola said that just like in other crisis women and girls are the first victims. “Over 1.5 million peaceful Ukrainian civilians have been forced to flee homes in search of safety and most of these refugees are women and children and those are ones that managed to get out.”
Image: © European Union 2021 – EP/Alexis Haulot”
