World
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo addresses the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City on September 23, 2022. Photo: Bryan R. Smith/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The international community needs to take action to put an end to atrocities committed by Russia in Ukraine, Belgium’s prime minister told Rudaw on Friday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
“We have to do everything to stop that and also to make clear who is responsible and only Russia is responsible,” Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said in response to questions by Rudaw’s Roj Eli Zalla. He added that the recent Russian conscription orders do not change the tide of the war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization on Wednesday, ordering reservists to fight. Footage on social media showed large queues of Russians leaving the country at border points following the announcement.
On Saturday, Russia replaced its deputy minister of defense following a series of military setbacks and territorial gains by the Ukrainian army. The decision combined with the mobilization announcement has casted doubt on Russia’s military strength and logistics.
In his address to the UNGA on Saturday, De Croo stated that Russia is carrying out a disinformation campaign across the globe, using “cyberattacks and illegal interference in free elections.”
In Europe, Putin is financing his puppets to carry out his agenda of division and unrest.
— Alexander De Croo 🇧🇪🇪🇺 (@alexanderdecroo) September 23, 2022
We will not allow Russian trojan horses to undermine our democracies with disinformation and fear.
When the fight for democracy is to be fought, we will and we shall stand up. #UNGA pic.twitter.com/cYBu3TS4DP
De Croo also said that a new round of sanctions are currently being debated on, adding that the current sanctions have “a lot of impact.” The European Union (EU) has imposed a series of sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and unilateral recognition of the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces.
Current EU sanctions target Russia’s economy but do not apply to food and agricultural products as a means to avoid escalating growing global food insecurity.
On Friday, voting to become part of Russia began in Russian-controlled Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. US President Joe Biden described the referendum as a “sham” and stated that the US would not recognize Ukrainian territories as part of Russia.
Russia launched a full scale invasion of Ukraine in February, leading to a global incline in food, oil, and petrol prices as exports from the neighboring countries diminished due to the war.
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