Azerbaijan is a true friend for Ukraine. The peoples of the two countries are well aware of the price of defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state, reads the article by the Ambassador of Ukraine to Azerbaijan Vladyslav Kanevskyi headlined "We have withstood… We will win!" dedicated to the anniversary of the beginning of Russia's war in Ukraine.
The article notes that February 24, 2022 - the day of the full-scale military invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine - 'divided the life of Ukrainians into 'before' and 'after'."
"A year has passed since Ukraine resists the evil. Bucha, Irpen, Kharkiv, Sumy, Kherson, Melitopol, Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Mariupol, Rubezhnoye, Chernihiv, Izyum, Soledar, Bakhmut…This is far from a complete list of Ukrainian cities where the Russian occupier brought tears, pain and suffering – some Ukrainian cities have simply been razed to the ground, and the territories where they existed are littered with thousands of mines and ammunition," the article says.
The ambassador notes that "Russia has taken off the insidious mask of a 'peacemaker', pursuing the only goal – to destroy the Ukrainian nation as such, to destroy Ukrainian identity, culture, language."
"But why did it happen that in the XXI century one state attacked another in the center of Europe? Why did a new dictator whose crimes go unpunished appear? Are there still nations in Europe that deny the existence of others, that welcome war, violence, and occupation? The only answer to this question is: unpunished evil always returns," the article says.
The ambassador noted that today the blue-yellow banner is perceived globally as a symbol of invincibility and freedom: "At this crucial time for our state, we clearly understood who our true friend is, who our enemy is, and who only imitates their sympathy and concern about what is happening in Ukraine.
"Azerbaijan is certainly a true friend for Ukraine, because our peoples are well aware of the price of defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state," he said.
The diplomat expressed gratitude to everyone who extended a helping hand to Ukraine on different continents: "We feel your help and support, it gives us strength! We are grateful to every representative of the communities that flocked to the central squares of foreign countries with an appeal for support for Ukraine. We are grateful to the countries, as well as ordinary citizens and families who continue to provide humanitarian and other assistance to Ukraine and Ukrainians. We are grateful to everyone who is fighting for Ukraine, including in the diplomatic and sanctions arenas.
You, people, are great! We appreciate the support that brings us closer to a common victory."