Prishtina, August 26, 2024
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated in the reception organized on the occasion of marking the Independence Day of Ukraine, held at the National Library of Kosovo.
In his address, Prime Minister Kurti said that our support for Ukraine’s struggle to preserve its freedom and democracy, sovereignty and territorial integrity is broad and deep, and shows our commitment to act in unity with our international partners against aggression of Russia.
The Prime Minister mentioned the initiatives through which Kosovo is helping and supporting Ukraine, such as the Journalists in Residence (JiR) program through which 18 Ukrainian journalists have been sheltered in Kosovo, the temporary lifting of visas for Ukrainian citizens, alignment with the EU’s foreign policy through the establishment and joining the 13 package of sanctions against Russia, Belarus and their allies, training for Ukrainian soldiers and joining the G7 Joint Declaration on Support for Ukraine.
“My message, on behalf of the people of Kosovo, is: Never lose hope. No matter how difficult the odds may seem, no matter how long the struggle, continue steadfast in your efforts. And I strongly believe that your allies in Europe and around the world will always stand by your side, until victory is finally – and decisively – yours”, concluded the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
Dear excellences and representatives of the embassy of Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom, United States, European Union in Kosova,
The Kosova Journalist Association and the European Center for Press and Media Freedom,
Honorable ambassadors, heads of missions and representatives of embassies,
Dear friends from Ukraine,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you, Ambassador Rohde, for inviting me to this wonderful event. It is both an honor and a pleasure to join you — along with the representatives of other QUINT countries and the European Union — to celebrate this year’s Ukrainian Independence Day.
It’s particularly fitting that the Kosova Journalists Association and the European Center for Press and Media Freedom are co-organizing this reception. One of the first forms of assistance that Kosova provided to Ukraine was the Journalists in Residence program, which is still going strong to this day. Through this initiative, we have granted 18 Ukrainian journalists the status of temporary protection here in Kosova, so they can continue their work from afar. Twelve of them are still living and working in our country, forming an integral part of our vibrant and diverse media landscape. Indeed, providing a safe and welcoming space for these journalists is one of our Government’s proudest achievements in the protection and promotion of media freedom.
Our support for Ukraine’s struggle to preserve its freedom and democracy, sovereignty and territorial integrity is both broad and deep. It is truly a whole-of-Government effort. In addition to our support for Ukrainian journalists, we have temporarily lifted the visa regime for Ukrainian citizens generally, and have laid the groundwork for housing up to 5,000 refugees from the conflict. We’ve adopted 13 EU sanctions packages against Russia, Belarus and their proxies; and we’ve supported all U.S. sanctions against these countries as well. In cooperation with “MAT Kosova” (Mine Action Training), and EUCOM (U.S. European Command), the KSF has trained 140 Ukrainians in the field of de-mining. 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’s support for Ukraine, at this hour of need, demonstrates our commitment to act in unity with our international partners against Russia’s illegal and unprovoked aggression. Since 1817, Russia got involved in 48 wars. Generally, for expansion. Average time distance from the beginning of one war to the other is 4.4 years. And 30 months ago, two and a half years ago, they started another war, again for expansion.
And can you imagine, the largest country in the world, territory wise, wants more territory. And, for that end, they have attacked the largest European country in terms of territory. Russia was always anti-Western, generally non-European, and now has become anti-European. Therefore, the liberation struggle in Ukraine is European war, in Europe, for Europe, and our solidarity is our duty belonging to the European continent.
Indeed, the conflict has exposed long-standing international fault-lines not only in Europe, but also in the Western Balkans, at this corner of Europe. Most significantly, in the midst of the current conflict, we in Kosova have lined up unequivocally behind the U.S., EU, and UK, while Serbia has doubled down on its ever closer ties with Russia and China.
However, Kosova’s support for our Ukrainian friends goes beyond merely geopolitical calculations. For our people, standing by Ukraine is a matter of principle; it is a reflection of our own historical struggle for freedom. Geopolitics draws important lines that cannot be ignored, but it is the values we share with the Ukrainian people and our international allies that supply both the meaning and the impetus for our efforts. When Ukraine declared independence on August 24th, 1991, Kosova was still at the beginning of a long decade of apartheid, repression, and genocide. During that harrowing time, our people suffered some of the darkest days in our history. But that decade culminated, in 1999, on a note of hope and liberation, which paved the way for sovereignty and independence in the decade that followed.
And so, as Ukraine’s heroic defense of freedom and democracy continues well into its third year, my message, on behalf of the people of Kosova, is: Never lose hope. No matter how tough the odds may seem, no matter how long the fight drags on, continue steadfast in your struggle. And I strongly believe that your allies in Europe and around the world will always have your back, until victory is finally — and decisively — yours. In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., the leader of another great struggle, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”
Happy Independence Day, Slava Ukraini.
Last modified: August 27, 2024