Europe’s dependence on Russian oil and gas is financing the rape and murder of Ukrainian children, a parliamentarian and member of the country’s delegation to the World Economic Forum in Davos told Sky News.
Ivana Kylmpush-Tsintsadze, an MP and former minister, said Western states and companies must end “business as usual” with Moscow, calling for increased supplies of heavy weapons, a full oil and gas embargo and tougher sanctions. .
The parliamentarian is in Davos to deliver the message directly to political and business leaders as part of the largest diplomatic delegation to travel from kyiv since the war.
Ukraine news live: Russia sends ‘Terminator’ tank to Donbass
ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy He will address the conference by video link on Monday, as the annual gathering of business, political and civil society leaders meets in person for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
“We are here to convey a message from our country: the need to stay united and stop trying to do business as usual with the Russian Federation to protect everything we believe in, prosperity, democracy, freedom, ” she said. “They are important to businesses as well as governments and individuals.”
Kylmpush-Tsintsadze said providing heavy weaponry was the biggest “humanitarian” contribution the West could make, and that she would urge states, including Germany, to boycott Russian oil and gas.
“I came to Davos via Berlin, it was not an easy day of talks, but I am glad that they at least agree to an oil embargo, that gives me a little hope that they are seriously considering a full gas embargo,” he said. . .
“We are seeing the consequences of decades of dependence on Russia without thinking about it.
“If you pay Russian companies for their oil and gas, you are giving them resources to continue destroying our towns, our villages, killing our children, raping our women, old people, babies, young children and destroying our country.”
Sunak ‘snub’ and banned oligarchs
German Chancellor Olaf Sholz will address the WEF later in the week, one of 50 national leaders and heads of state among 2,500 delegates gathered in the Alps in the shadow of an economic and security crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion.
No senior British ministers are currently planning to attend, and both Foreign Minister Rishi Sunak and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng have rejected a meeting to be addressed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the prime ministers of the United States. Netherlands, Spain and Greece.
There will be no Russian presence. The oligarchs who used to throw the most opulent parties here are banned, as are the companies and institutions of the Russian state.
Ukraine will dominate discussion in the Congress Hall and on the conference sidelines, the conflict raising concerns about global energy prices and inflation, as well as raising concerns about food security.
The summit returns in the Swiss town after a break due to the pandemic. Photo: AP
Climate change will also be a persistent issue, having been pushed off the agenda since COP26 last year by the financial crisis and war, in which states have sought short-term alternatives to fossil fuels for energy sources. russians
Alok Sharma, still president of COP26, will address delegates and US climate envoy John Kerry will share a platform with his Chinese counterpart, Xie Zhenhua, a significant token appearance at least.
Davos promises to be a marginally less lavish event than in years past, but there will still be few dissenting voices at a gathering that extols the virtues of liberal capitalism.
Given the external context of the intersection of the security, economic and food crises and the faltering recovery from COVID, there may be little time to consider how things went so wrong.
Reference-news.sky.com