Kyiv will not cede territories to Russia, says chair of Ukrainian parliament committee

Ukraine will not cede any territories to Russia as this would only indulge President Vladimir Putin and not sate his appetite for more gains, a Ukrainian politician has said.

Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, chair of the Ukrainian parliament’s committee on EU affairs, said the former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger’s comments urging Ukraine to give up some territories to end the war were “disgraceful”.

“Giving the east to Russia … this is totally wrong. We have to understand that such concessions are only indulging additional appetite from Putin and the Russian regime. That will be seen and used as a weakness, which will lead to additional attacks and destruction in the future.”

Speaking at the Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs, she said the viewpoint of allowing concessions was expressed under the “pretext of saving lives”, but argued the concessions made to Russia after the 2014 Crimea annexation have led to this point.

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She said Russia should be tried for the crime of aggression in a separate tribunal, “potentially like Nuremberg 2.0″, adding that she believed the war must end in Russian defeat and isolation.

Ms Klympush-Tsintsadze said any assistance the EU could give with regards to documenting war crimes, such as special prosecutors and forensic investigators, would be much appreciated as Ukraine plans to take a case to the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice.

She said there were “many Buchas” around Ukraine, referencing the mass killing and abuse of civilians during the occupation of Bucha.

Ms Klympush-Tsintsadze also criticised the International Committee of the Red Cross and UN agencies, saying they had a “slow response” on the ground considering the money donated to them.

She also spoke of potential food shortages because of the war. There are 22 million tonnes of grain sitting in Ukraine which usually feeds 400 million people per year, Ms Klympush-Tsintsadze said.

Most of the grain cannot be exported due to trade routes being cut off, and there is a risk this grain will have to be destroyed as there was no way to store it.

Ms Klympush-Tsintsadze said this would happen during a time when people globally were facing real hunger. “There is a real need to unblock the sea route from the port [near] Odesa with the engagement of the international community in order to bring out these crops.”

There were sea mines blocking this route, along with 300sq km of new minefields across Ukraine, including in agricultural fields, according to the politician. They were in dire need of de-mining, Ms Klympush-Tsintsadze said, adding that Ukraine could use Ireland’s expertise from previous UN de-mining missions.

She also spoke of her gratitude to the Irish people for welcoming Ukrainians into the country, saying the country’s response had been “exemplary”, notwithstanding the housing crisis Ireland was currently facing.

Ms Klympush-Tsintsadze said she was hopeful that Ukraine would be able to join the EU, and she thanked Ireland for supporting its bid for candidacy.