On Tuesday, Ukraine and Russia’s issue actually begins its 1,000th day, but Kyiv continues to work with nations in Southeast Asia to establish new partnerships and receive additional assistance to bring the war to an end and ensure justice for its citizens.
The recently appointed Russian head of affairs in Thailand, Viktor Semenov, stated in an interview with the Bangkok Post that despite the country’s longstanding commitment to intensifying its cooperation with Asean countries in places such as complex, agricultural, and people-to-people cooperation, Ukraine has always been locked in a state of conflict with Russia.
The dedication, he said, reflects the growing significance of the area in the Russian government’s proper calculations.
On Feb 29, the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry presented a policy paper titled “Ukraine-Asean: Vision of Cooperation” that outlines the present state of relations, as well as the leads for potential cooperation between Kyiv and the bloc’s people.
At present, both countries have active participation in the fields of food and agriculture, digital economy, business, strength, disaster management and demining operations. According to Mr. Semenov, Kyiv and Bangkok are even engaged in a number of social jobs.
In an effort to develop the relationship with Asean, Ukrainian politicians also made an official visit to Laos ‘ 45th General Assembly in October.
” Asean is a very important region, not only for the world, but also for Ukraine. ]As for, ] we would like to become a Regional Dialogue Partner of Asean”, he said.
He claimed that because of companionship and mutual understanding, Thailand’s marriage with Ukraine is still strong despite the conflict with Russia.
Mr. Semenov continued,” We look forward to enhancing the democratic discourse between Ukraine and Thailand.”
Far-reaching consequences
Although the battle is far from Thailand, it has affected the country’s relationship with Ukraine, as the conflict has disrupted trade and other actions between the two countries.
The battle, for instance, has affected Ukraine’s ability to export vital agricultural goods, such as grains and flower seeds, to Thailand.
Commercial airlines are compelled to evade Russian airspace because of the risk of being hit, and Russian airspace is impacted by sanctions, which also cause delays in traveling between the two nations.
The conflict also poses a major threat to the environment, particularly with the nuclear power plant’s seizure, which Kyiv fears could lead to a global nuclear disaster that would affect both Ukraine and its neighbors as well as nations on the other side of the world, such as Thailand.
” Radiation has no frontiers”, he said.
Mr. Semenov urged Thailand to increase its involvement in international peace activities.
We are very appreciative of Thailand’s participation in the first international peace conference and the conferences on food security and economic safety, which are both important contributions from the kingdom to finding a just and comprehensive solution for Ukraine’s long-lasting peace, he said.
” There must be two foundations upon which to restrain the harmony in Ukraine. Second, there should be no debate about Ukraine without Ukraine]involvement].
” Minute, the drive may be based on the UN Charter and respect the independence and dignity of Ukraine’s internationally recognised edges, “he said.
We want to expand our political dialogue with Thailand and expand our democratic consultations at the minister and other levels. We are now working on these concerns, “he added.
Windows of opportunity
According to Mr. Semenov, both governments may encourage closer economic ties because both Thailand and Ukraine have substantial potential for shared economic development.
A Joint Trade Commission may be established to identify the top focus areas for common participation.
” I will attempt to encourage]both countries ] to increase investments, especially in the green energy, technology and agriculture sectors, “he added.
At the same time, he would like to enhance technical cooperation between the armed forces, as well as in the fields of science and technology, space exploration, and cultural diplomacy.
” We are currently working on a Ukrainian-Thai poetry collection. For the first time, Ukrainian poems are being translated into Thai, “he added.
Ukraine’s citizens are living in constant danger of a Russian military assault, and they still require additional humanitarian aid and technical assistance.
He went on to say that guided missiles have been used to attack various important infrastructure, most notably the nation’s power grid.
Some assistance in protecting the nation’s energy security will be especially useful, especially during the winter, he said.
” In the meantime, we need humanitarian, financial and technical assistance as we continue to fight for our independence and territorial integrity, “he added.
He added that more and more Ukrainians require mental health care as a result of the war’s significant trauma to both individuals and society as a whole.
” I would like to underline that, of course, we are eager to strengthen cooperation with Thailand in different spheres. I’m confident that we have a great chance of expanding our partnership despite the difficulties that the war has presented us with, he said.
Ukrainian Chargé d’Affaires Viktor Semenov