Borrell warns Russia wants to turn Ukraine into ‘second Syria’
Doha, Mar 26 (EFE).- The European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, said Saturday that Russia intends to turn Ukraine into “a second Syria” while warning of the need to strengthen international laws to better maintain global peace.
“If a strong country could impose by force, on a neighbor that is not threatening him, whatever he wants, passing through war crimes, destroying a country, making Mariupol the ‘European Aleppo’ and making Ukraine a second Syria, then the whole world is in danger,” he said at the opening of the Doha Forum.
The high representative stressed during the session entitled “Transforming for a new era” that the conflict “is a problem on the borders of Europe, but it is not just a European issue” that requires “more rule of law at the international stage” and “a better balance of power.”
Borrell, who is on a trip to Qatar and Kuwait to address bilateral relations, international cooperation and global security in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, emphasized that “one of the consequences (of the Ukraine conflict) is that we can push Russia (towards) China and create a division between what we can call the global southeast and the global northwest”.
He warned of the dangers of this scenario he believes would “create an incredible imbalance in the world. We have to avoid this trend and (…) the first thing to do is to stop this war of aggression, of attrition, and that is what we are doing, by supporting Ukraine with military means without escalation.”
After more than a month since the invasion was launched, Russia said Friday that the first phase of its “special military operation” was complete, allowing them to focus their efforts on the “liberation” of the Donbas in eastern Ukraine, which is home to the besieged city of Mariupol.
Within the framework of the forum, Borrell will also hold bilateral meetings with the Qatari deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, as well as “with other international partners”.
On Sunday, the EU’s top diplomat will make his first official bilateral visit to Kuwait and will hold meetings with Crown Prince Sheik Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, Prime Minister Sheik Sabah Khaled al-Hamad al-Sabah, Foreign Minister Sheik Ahmed Nasser Mohammed al-Sabah and Speaker of the National Assembly Marzouq Al-Ghanim. EFE
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