Kosovo’s solidarity with Ukraine is particularly visible even though Ukraine has not yet recognized Kosovo as a sovereign state. However, the people of Kosovo have shown deep empathy for the suffering of Ukrainians and have stood by them in these difficult days.
This is what the German ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, said at the reception that the QUINT embassies and the EU Office organized in honor of the National Day of Ukraine.
Ukrainian journalists living in Kosovo were honored there through the Hannah Arendt Initiative of the German Government.
Ambassador Rohde on behalf of the QUINT ambassadors and the EU Office, said that they have gathered not only to celebrate the Independence Day of Ukraine, but to honor the loving spirit that the Ukrainian nation has shown in the defense of freedom and democracy.
He added that this is the third Independence Day being celebrated under the shadow of Russia’s brutal and unprovoked invasion.
Journalist from Ukraine, Iryna Synelnyk, thanked the state of Kosovo and other supporting states for their support and solidarity, saying that this is the main public holiday for Ukrainians, but it is the third time it is celebrated during the war.
She added that since Ukrainians are a brave and stable people, they are continuing to fight for their freedom and territorial integrity.
And while she remembered how happy they were before the war, she added that now in her country, no one can feel safe.
The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, said that one of the first forms of aid that Kosovo offered to Ukraine was the journalists in residence program, which continues to this day, and through this initiative, Kosovo has granted 18 Ukrainian journalists the status of temporary protection, so that they can continue their work. According to him, 12 of them still live and work in our country forming an integral part of our vibrant and diverse media landscape indeed providing safe and welcoming space for journalists is one of our government’s proudest achievements in the protection and promotion of media freedom.
He said in addition to our support for Ukrainian journalists, Kosovo has temporarily lifted the visa regime for Ukrainian citizens in general and laid the groundwork for sheltering up to 5,000 refugees from the conflict.
“We have adopted 13 EU sanctions packages against Russia, Belarus… And we have supported all U.S sanctions against these countries as well, in cooperation with matkosova (mind, action, training) and EUcom, US European command, the KSF has trained 140 Ukrainians in the field of demining. And together we are providing training to Ukrainian recruits in combat tactics, so far, 34 000 recruits have received training through this operation. And just last August, on the occasion of Ukrainian Independence Day, our government officially joined the G7 joint declaration of support for Ukraine. Kosova support for Ukraine at this hour of need demonstrates our commitment to act immunity with our International Partners against Russia’s illegal and unprovoked aggression”, he said.
According to him, Russia was always anti-Western, generally non-European, and now it has become anti-European, therefore, the liberation war in Ukraine is a European war in Europe for Europe, and our solidarity is our duty belonging to the European continent.
The reception held at the National and University Library of Kosovo also included an exhibition of photographs from Ukraine.
