John Adoyi, PBA Journalism Mentee
As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has called on African nations to stand on the side of his country.
Zelensky who stated this during a virtual press conference with African Journalists on Thursday, urged the continent not to be neutral in the crisis but take a stand and condemn the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelZelensky asked the continent to call out Moscow for its wrong doing, noting that Africa has not benefited anything from Russia.
“I don’t think there should be neutrality in war. This is the wrong attitude. There can be no neutrality between life and death. When you are neutral in the war, you immediately turn from even a large state into a small one. No one sees you, the world does not see you, and therefore, you do not influence the processes in the world. And when you have problems, you have to remember that the world can also be neutral. And it’s not about business – it’s about people’s lives. I believe that the position of neutrality is not modern.”
Zelensky said Africa should not just support Ukraine against Russia, but should support the truth.
“We would like the African countries not just to support Ukraine…but they should support the truth. There is no value we can attach to freedom, and Russia cannot be using the oil to buy the freedom of others,” Zelensky said.
Also during the conference, President Zelensky asked African countries not to welcome Russian officials because they are not welcome anywhere.
“You mustn’t host Russian officials who turn up presenting themselves as peaceful people. They’re visiting you because they’re not
Welcome anywhere else; they’re shunned almost everywhere.”
“They’re coming to your country because they haven’t unleashed a war on your continent. They don’t know how to boost the Russian economy. They’ll be looking for places where they can wreak havoc.”
So far, African countries have maintained neutrality in condemning the conflict even though the continent has called for dialogue between the countries.
READ ALSO: ‘How Russia-Ukraine Conflict Worsen Food, Gas Supply Crisis In Nigeria’
Moussa Faki Mahamat, the African Union Commission chairperson, refused to endorse sanctions on Russia, arguing that they could hurt many more people not involved in the war.
Some African countries such as Mali, Uganda and the Central African Republic have close defence ties with Moscow.
