The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has called the decision of the Transitional Government of Mali to sever diplomatic relations with Ukraine “short-sighted and hasty,” Babel reports.
The decision of the Transitional Government of the Republic of Mali to sever diplomatic relations with Ukraine is short-sighted and hasty, given that Ukraine, as a victim of unprovoked full-scale armed aggression by the Russian Federation, is trying in every way, with the support of the international community, to restore justice and respect for international law, which is designed to protect all countries of the world, including African countries, from encroachments on their sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, – the ministry said in a statement.
The Foreign Ministry emphasized that Ukraine adheres to international law, the inviolability of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries, and rejects Mali’s accusations of allegedly “supporting international terrorism”.
We remind you that in the twentieth century, Ukraine, as one of the founders of the United Nations, actively supported the right of the peoples of Africa to independence and decolonization, including the Republic of Mali. Instead, the Russian Federation, continuing its unprovoked full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine, is destroying the international security architecture, violating the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter, which, in particular, guarantee the right of African countries to a free future, – the Foreign Ministry emphasized.
In addition, the Ukrainian contingent of “blue helmets” made a significant contribution to the implementation of a number of peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the United Nations, in particular from 2019 to 2022 as part of the UN Mission in Mali, the Foreign Ministry recalled.
The ministry regrets that the Malian authorities have not conducted a thorough investigation into the facts and circumstances of the incident in northern Mali, and have not provided any evidence of Ukraine’s involvement
This ignores the fact that Kremlin-controlled military structures, in particular Wagner, use terrorist methods and are directly involved in numerous war crimes, killings of civilians and ill-treatment of prisoners of war both in Ukraine and in African countries, – the ministry added.
The Foreign Ministry summarized that Ukraine reserves the right to take all necessary measures in response to Mali’s unfriendly actions.
