PRESS RELEASE
Solidarity in a time of War on Democracy
Community of Democracies Governing Council meets in Emergency Session on Ukraine
WARSAW, March 2, 2022
On March 2, 2022, Community of Democracies (CoD) Member States convened following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for a virtual Emergency Governing Council Meeting to discuss solidarity in a time of war on democracy.
Member States reiterated their support for Ukraine, in line with an earlier statement, in which they strongly condemned Russia’s aggression and backed Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and democratic aspirations of its people.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, Bogdan Aurescu, co-hosting the meeting in his capacity of Presidency of the CoD, affirmed with this occasion: ‘This seems to be the beginning of the most difficult period in generations. And this is the fight of our generation and a real test on our democracies. The Community of Democracies must stand and uphold our values and principles. Our unity must not falter, and our bonds with young and transitioning democracies around the world must be fully used. We should continue to defend Ukraine’s rights to freely choose its own foreign policy and to involve all means to stop the war.
‘We should also keep a very close attention to other states that are under constant pressure of the Russian Federation and are extremely vulnerable, such as the Republic of Moldova and Georgia. Parts of Western Balkans are also under pressure. These young democracies need our support and, as Presidency of the Community of Democracies, I call all of you to fully engage in the process of protecting these states against possible pressure and aggression against democracy.’
Community of Democracies Secretary General Thomas E. Garrett underlined that democracies worldwide must unequivocally show they stand with Ukraine, as the brute force of two dictatorships seeks to destroy democracy and the rule of law in the geographic center of Europe (link SG Statement on Ukraine).
The Emergency Governing Council meeting took place among numerous multilateral gatherings worldwide to resolve this crisis. The CoD Member States delivered strong messages in solidarity with Ukraine.
Speaking from Kyiv, a Member of the Ukrainian Parliament (not named for security reasons) delivered a clear message to Russia: ‘Stop bombing our towns and cities’. She also appealed to the UN, EU, and other international organizations to help Ukraine obtain a ceasefire for humanitarian relief.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya from Belarus spoke of the Lukashenko’s regime support toward Russia’s aggression and said: ‘Let me be clear: our nation is against the war. Belarusians do not want this war and protest against it.’
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About the Community of Democracies
The Community of Democracies is a global intergovernmental coalition comprised of the Governing Council Member States that support adherence to common democratic standards and values outlined in the Warsaw Declaration. The Community of Democracies is committed to taking concerted action to advance and protect democratic freedoms, strengthen democratic institutions, and expand political participation.
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