Ukrainian ambassador to South Korea: "Russia is trying to destroy Ukraine and restore its empire"

Lecture at Seoul National University… “Thanks for the warmth and support the Koreans showed”

Ukrainian Ambassador to Korea Lecture at Seoul National University

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Lim Heon-jeong = Ukrainian Ambassador to Korea Dmitro Ponomarenko gives a lecture on the topic of ‘Ukraine’s View of the Russia-Ukraine War’ at the Institute of Asian Studies at Seoul National University in Gwanak-gu, Seoul on the 2nd. 2022.5.2 kane@yna.co.kr

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Woo-seong Yoon = “Like Korea a few decades ago, Ukraine needs allies and partners. It depends not only on Ukraine’s future, but on whether or not a world in which dictators can carry out their will with nuclear threat will be opened. Because there is.”

Ukrainian ambassador to Korea Dmitro Ponomarenko said this in a speech at Seoul National University’s Asia Research Center Samik Hall on the 2nd and requested cooperation.

He began his speech by saying, “As you all know from the news, our country is going through a difficult time right now.”

Ambassador Ponomarenko said, “Ukraine has existed as a country with its own history, culture and language since the Middle Ages, even before Moscow and Russia existed. do,” he said.

He also indirectly referred to China’s ‘hanbok and kimchi process’, saying, “Koreans will be accustomed to seeing neighboring countries claim that their national clothes and food are theirs.”

He blamed Russia for the war, saying, “Ukraine is an essential target for Russian imperialism.

The ambassador also insisted, “What Putin is trying to achieve through the Ukraine war is not Russia’s security or protection of Russians in Ukraine, but rather the destruction of Ukraine and its incorporation into Russia to restore the empire.”

While explaining the origins of the war between Ukraine and Russia, the ambassador also strongly criticized some of the Korean academic community.

Ambassador Ponomarenko said, “After arriving in Korea, I often encountered so-called expert analysis that followed Russia’s propaganda logic that the conflict in Ukraine that had been going on since 2014 was caused by Ukrainian far-right nationalism.” to show,” he claimed.

“In the elections held after the collapse of the pro-Russian government in the Euromaidan movement in 2014, the pro-Russian party entered the parliament in large numbers, but the far-right got less than 5 percent of the vote.” He asked, “Is this far-right nationalism?”

Regarding the claim that Ukraine provoked Russia by pushing for its membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), he said, “Before Russia attacked in 2014, Ukraine was a neutral country.” What are we going to do with the invasion?” he asked.

Ambassador Ponomarenko said, “I am grateful for the solidarity of support and warmth that Koreans have shown to Ukraine.

“Democracy and freedom are things worth fighting with your life,” he added.

653@yna.co.kr