Neutral Malta demands that Russia withdraw its troops from Ukraine

Malta's constitutional neutrality does not mean that this Mediterranean country remains indifferent to the suffering and pain caused by Russia's aggression against Ukraine, so Malta calls on Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine.

This was stated by Prime Minister of Malta Robert Abela today in New York during a speech at the UN General Assembly, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We are witnessing Russia's violation of international law as it continues its offensive against Ukraine. Malta's response to the situation in Ukraine and to other crises around the world is based on the value of neutrality, which is enshrined in our Constitution. But Malta's neutrality does not mean that we will not explicitly reject military aggression and unilateral actions against members of the international community and against the rules-based order," the Maltese official emphasized.

"Neutrality does not mean that we are indifferent to what is happening around us. We have never been and will never be neutral when we see the pain and suffering caused by an illegal invasion. In the spirit of peace, we call on Russia to withdraw its forces from the sovereign territory of Ukraine, and we call on all nations gathered here to unite and put an end to this war," Abela added.

He noted that the war is a tragedy for the population of the country that suffers from it. The consequences of war have reverberations around the world, and this also applies to food security. According to the Maltese Prime Minister, the number of people in the world suffering from hunger, according to current estimates, has increased by an additional 122 million people worldwide over the past few years.Russia's war against Ukraine has made this situation even more dire and dramatic.

"Malta calls on Russia to return to the Black Sea Grain Initiative and not to impede it so that food supplies from Ukraine can reach those who need it most... Being neutral does not mean that Malta ignores the challenges faced by our neighbors," Abela said.

Author - Serhii Kolomiets, 23/09/2023