Promote Ukraine, Other Organisations, Appeal to MEPs Regarding Russia’s Extortion

Promote Ukraine, Movimiento Republicano Libertario Martiano, and VenEuropa ASBL wrote a letter to MEPs about Russia’s threats to deploy troops in Cuba and Venezuela if the demands for non-acceptance of Ukraine in NATO are not met.

The document states that the Russian Federation sets out demands as extortion for the non-acceptance of Ukraine in the North Atlantic Alliance and fabricates pretexts for “invading Ukraine”. By its actions, Russia is “reverting to the Cold War rhetoric.”

The authors of the appeal also emphasise that “the perverse triangulation of the war with Ukraine sets an extremely dangerous precedent and forever leaves the door open to terrorist extortion by Russia, to which any country in the world can become hostage, such as Ukraine, Cuba and Venezuela.”

Text of the letter:

As representatives of the Ukrainian, Cuban and Venezuelan civil societies in Brussels, we are writing to you to express our concern about the threat of the Russian Federation to send soldiers to Cuba and Venezuela as an extortion for the non-acceptance of Ukraine in NATO.

In the spotlight of the global significance of this geopolitical conflict, there is one indisputable fact, and that is that the people of the three countries mentioned are going to be victims, regardless of the resolution of the conflict. Russia is fabricating pretexts for invading Ukraine, and threatening to expand its military presence in Cuba and Venezuela. Russia is reverting to the Cold War rhetoric while trying to restore security architecture that prevailed before the Madrid Summit 1997.

Europe allowed Russian interference in Latin America and ignored the outcry of those who, like us, repeatedly denounced this illegal intrusion. Recent threatening and brazen public statements by Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Ryabkov have only confirmed the validity of our denunciations.

What position will the EU take on the obvious problem posed by the permanent presence of Russian soldiers in Latin America? This perverse triangulation of the war with Ukraine sets an extremely dangerous precedent and forever leaves the door open to terrorist extortion by Russia, to which any country in the world can become hostage, such as Ukraine, Cuba and Venezuela.

Dr. Marta Barandiy, Promote Ukraine

Zoé Valdés, Movimiento Republicano Libertario Martiano                                                                      

Patricia Betancourt, VenEuropa ASBL