Chargé d’affaires in Cairo Ruslan Nechai said on Sunday that his country acts as a ‘shield’ for Europe
“If Russian forces succeed in overrunning Ukraine, they will try to enter other European countries,” he said.
He added at a press briefing at the headquarters of the embassy in Cairo that Ukraine pays the price of what he described as the ‘expansionist ambitions’ of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Putin, he said, wants to revive the Soviet empire.
“However, Ukraine has been a free and independent state for over 1,000 years now,” the Ukrainian diplomat said.
“It is a nation with a national identity, as proven by historical documents, since Kiev became its capital in the 9th century,” he added.
Nechai said Putin attacks Ukraine and warns other countries against intervening.
“Russia claims that Ukraine is just a puppet of NATO,” he said. “But this is mere Russian propaganda,” he added, answering a question by The Egyptian Gazette about Russian accusations in this regard.
He denied Russian claims that his country poses dangers to Russian security.
Ukraine, he said, does not contain any NATO missile bases.
He accused Russia of staging war against democracy by attacking Ukraine.
Nechai also accused Moscow of using gas as an economic pressure tool against Europe and Ukraine.
He called, meanwhile, on Egypt to support his country in all fields.
He said Egypt can be the venue of negotiations between Moscow and Kiev when the war comes to an end, given close relations between Cairo and Moscow.
Nechai said Belarus is not a neutral country any more, especially after Russian troops used Belarusian territories to enter Ukraine.
“Russian troops continue to pour into Ukraine from Belarus, which is why negotiations cannot take place in that country,” Nechai said.
He hoped Egypt would back a draft resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly to stop what he described as the Russian ‘invasion’ of his country.
“We call on Egypt to affirm solidarity with Ukraine by providing it with financial support and humanitarian aid,” the Ukrainian diplomat said.
He added that his embassy had already filed for Egyptian humanitarian aid.
Nechai noted that his country is mindful of strategic ties between Egypt and Russia.
“But, we are in an exceptional situation and Russia must be isolated internationally,” he said.
He revealed that over 16,000 Ukrainians are in Egypt now and cannot return home. They are mostly in Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh and Marsa Alam.
He said his embassy had submitted a request at the International Organisation for Migration to help these Ukrainian nationals return their country through the borders of neighbouring countries, such as Poland and Romania.
Nechai said Egypt had agreed to extend the stay of these Ukrainian tourists until they are capable of returning to Ukraine.
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