Acknowledging strategic partnership between India and Russia, Sviatoslav Yurash, Ukraine's youngest Member of Parliament on Wednesday asserted that in light of the Ukraine crisis India needs to reconsider its position on Moscow.
"As far as India-Russia is concerned, you have a treaty on strategic friendship and partnership,I think that needs to be reconsidered in light of not just Ukraine but all misdeeds that Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime has been doing for the last 20 years. Russia needs to be punished by India," he said.
He further praised India for the humanitarian measures taken to help those affected by the Russian military operation against Ukraine and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for speaking with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the current situation in Ukraine.
The MP in an interview withsaid, "India is one of those countries which will decide the fate of this century. As far as the Indian position on the Russian relationship is concerned, thankful for the call Prime Minister Narendra Modi made to our President. We're thankful for the humanitarian steps that India has been making."
Replying to a question whether the MP sees peace returning soon in Ukraine, he noted, "Depends on Kremlin. If Kremlin decides to continue pushing, we'll continue fighting. Fighting for fundamental rights that we want to safeguard as our ancestors had safeguarded. Not going to abandon all that we won."
Earlier, the Ukrainian MP was also seen guarding the post and carrying a gun. Commenting on that picture, the MP asserted, "Fact of the matter is, with Kyiv besieged and Ukraine needs to mobilize and try to defend against Russian invasion, everybody is a soldier now. Everybody needs to find their place."
The MP also appreciated the steps that Western nations are taking amid the war between Russia and Ukraine. The Ukrainian MP, when asked whether Ukraine feels that it is betrayed by its partner (Western nations), said, "We understand the West does the right thing after exhausting other options. The reality is, it takes time for those institutions to spring into action. We don't have time, so we're fighting Russian invaders."
"As far as the West is concerned, we have received a lot of aid, we have received a lot of help and we are thankful for that. But again nothing is enough, nothing is too much and all are welcome," he added.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine after recognizing the Ukrainian breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent republics.
Russia continues to maintain that it started the "military operations" in Ukraine on February 24 to save the residents of eastern Ukraine and "demilitarise" and "denazify" the political leadership of the country.
Following the announcement by Putin, Western nations have denounced the military action and imposed harsh sanctions targeting the financial system of Moscow.
India and 34 other countries on Wednesday abstained from a UN General Assembly resolution that censured Russia over its military actions against Ukraine. India had earlier abstained from the UN Security Council procedural vote to call for a General Assembly session on the Ukraine crisis.India along with China and UAE had last week abstained from a US-sponsored resolution against Russia's military actions in Ukraine. Moscow used its veto against the resolution.
( With inputs from ANI )
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