'We stand with Pakistan against terrorism,' says Polish ambassador

Polish Ambassador to Pakistan Maciej Pisarski said on Wednesday night, “We pay tribute to the Ukrainian people for their struggle against Russian aggression. We stand with Pakistan against terrorism.”

On the completion of four years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a ceremony was held to express solidarity with the victims of the recent mosque terror attack in Islamabad. Ambassador Pisarski said that a horrific explosion had taken place in a mosque in Islamabad a few days earlier and added, “We strongly condemn this act of terrorism.”

Ukrainian Ambassador Markiian Chuchuk said that Pakistan has always supported the protection of states’ territorial integrity and sovereignty. “We are grateful to Pakistan for supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity. We look forward to Pakistan’s role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council,” he said.

A joint solidarity event marking four years of the Ukraine war was organized at the Polish Embassy by the embassies of Poland and Ukraine, along with Team Europe. During the ceremony, Ambassador Pisarski expressed solidarity with the martyrs of the Islamabad mosque attack, and a moment of silence was observed in their honor.

In his address, Ambassador Pisarski said, “We pay tribute to the Ukrainian people for their struggle against Russian aggression. A horrific explosion occurred in a mosque in Islamabad a few days ago. We strongly condemn this terrorism and stand with Pakistan against it.”

He added that Russia is not interested in peace and is engaged in the destruction of its neighbors. “A modern-day colonial war is being fought in Ukraine. We will continue to provide moral, diplomatic, and military support to Ukraine,” he said.

He also expressed concern over the suffering of civilians in Gaza and said Poland supports a two-state solution for peace in the Middle East.

Addressing the ceremony, Ukrainian Ambassador Markiian Chuchuk said that Ukraine has witnessed the killing of hundreds of thousands of its citizens, the abduction of children, and the destruction of infrastructure at the hands of Russia. “Ukraine seeks peace and is ready for dialogue, but Ukraine will never surrender,” he said.

He added that over the past two years, Russia has occupied 1.4 percent of Ukrainian territory. He reiterated that Pakistan has consistently supported sovereignty and territorial integrity and has not endorsed aggression. “We are grateful to Pakistan for its support and have high expectations from Pakistan as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council,” he said.

EU Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis said that, in response to Russian aggression, the European Union is providing all possible support to Ukraine’s right to self-defense. He noted that Russia had targeted Ukraine’s central power and heating systems during the harsh winter.

He said the international community, including Pakistan, should maintain pressure on Russia. “We appreciate Pakistan’s role in regional stability and counterterrorism. We want to see a strong Pakistan. The European Union seeks to further strengthen its partnership with Pakistan,” he said.

He added that the EU has halted 90 percent of its energy imports from Russia. “Ukraine is not only defending its own land but also defending Europe,” he said.

At the ceremony, ambassadors of EU member states gathered on stage to express solidarity with Ukraine.

(Anwer Abbas is Foreign Office & Diplomatic Activities Correspondent for 24 News, Islamabad.)