EU foreign policy chief on Oleshky: "It clearly shows what happens to people under occupation"
Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has said the humanitarian disaster in Russian-occupied Oleshky demonstrates why Ukraine continues to fight and does not want to surrender its territories to Russia.
Source: Kallas at a press conference following a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (Defence), as reported by European Pravda
Details: Kallas commented on the causes of the humanitarian disaster in Russian-occupied Oleshky.
Quote: "It also clearly shows what happens to the people on the occupied territories. I mean, when somebody says, 'why don't they just give up the territories', it sounds so easy, right? But it's actually about people that will suffer on these territories.
Of course, we are trying to get humanitarian aid in, we are trying to help Ukraine to defend itself and its people so that this kind of thing won't happen.
But I think this is also a reminder to all of us: it is not about the land, it is about the people."
Details: Kallas also pointed out that the EU is preparing "the largest listing of sanctions".
Background:
- On 16 September, the European External Action Service presented a proposal for a new package of sanctions against 1,576 individuals and entities involved in Russia's military-industrial complex.
- Kallas also stressed that on 28 September, EU defence ministers discussed the possibility of transferring Patriot interceptor missiles from EU member states' stocks to Ukraine in exchange for later deliveries from the manufacturer, funded by Ukraine.
- Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O'Flaherty also reacted to the situation in Oleshky, which has been hit by a large-scale humanitarian crisis.
- The 34th Separate Marine Brigade has posted footage of occupied Oleshky, saying the Russians have "turned it into a ghost town".
Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon to help us keep reporting!