Turchynov: Only strong and well-armed Ukrainian army can appease Russia

The appeasement policy of the West is not efficient. Only the strong and contemporarily armed Ukrainian army can stop the advance of Russian aggression, the Kremlin’s imperial extension in the West, said Olexander Turchynov, Secretary of National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, during the 8th Kyiv Security Forum organized bythe Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation.

“What is the main conclusion for us to deliver? It is about the ineffectiveness and jeopardy of the appeasement policy. Appeasement always leads to escalation of the conflict and to huge, long-term losses. The aggressor should be not pacified but stopped,” – he said.

According to Turchynov, the policy of appeasement or non-triggering of the aggressor, in particular from the part of European politicians, strategic partners of Ukraine “did not and can not give fruit”. “It is Ukrainian army, strong and effectively armed with modern weapons, that can be the only guarantee of peace for today. Russia reckons only with force,” – he said.

At the same time, the Secretary of the National Security Council pointed out that, unfortunately, the consequence of such ‘appeasement policy’ was actual blocking of effective military-technical cooperation between Ukraine and strategic partners, in particular concerning lethal weapons supply. And that is despite the fact that Ukraine is not subject to any sanctions that should have blocked this cooperation.

“Today we must talk not just about the continuation of sanctions against Russia, and the strengthening of economic sanctions. Today we must talk about the resumption of military-technical cooperation, and providing Ukraine with modern armaments,” – said Oleksandr Turchynov.

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The annual international event ‘Kyiv Security Forum’, established by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation in 2007 is a platform to discuss the most pressing issues concerning the security in Europe and the Black Sea region. The Forum is aimed at promoting security cooperation between the European Union and the Black Sea Region, raising awareness of the development of security among key players and strengthening the role of independent and non-governmental actors in solving security problems in Europe.