War ‘no obstacle’ to ramping up relations

The war between Ukraine and Russia officially enters its 1,000th day on Tuesday, but despite the ongoing conflict, Kyiv remains committed to strengthening ties with countries in Southeast Asia to create new partnerships for mutual growth and secure additional assistance to end the war and get justice for its citizens.
In an interview with the Bangkok Post, Viktor Semenov, the newly appointed Ukrainian charge d’affaires in Thailand, said while Ukraine has been locked in a state of conflict with Russia since the latter occupied Crimea in 2014, the country has always been committed to ramping up its engagement with Asean nations in various areas — such as technical, agricultural and people-to-people cooperation.
The commitment, he said, reflects the growing importance of the region in the Ukrainian government’s strategic calculations.
On Feb 29, the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry presented a policy paper titled “Ukraine-Asean: Vision of Cooperation” that outlines the current state of relations, as well as the prospects for future cooperation between Kyiv and the bloc’s members.
At present, both countries have active cooperation in the fields of food and agriculture, digital economy, trade, energy, disaster management and demining operations. Kyiv and Bangkok are also working on several cultural projects together, Mr Semenov noted.
Ukrainian parliamentarians also paid an official visit to the 45th General Assembly of the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, which was hosted by Laos in October, in an effort to strengthen the partnership with Asean.
“Asean is a very important region, not only for the world, but also for Ukraine. [As such,] we would like to become a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of Asean,” he said.
He said Thailand’s relationship with Ukraine remains solid despite the war with Russia because it is based on friendship and mutual understanding.
“We look forward to strengthening the political dialogue between Ukraine and Thailand,” Mr Semenov added.
Although the war is far from Thailand, it has affected the country’s relationship with Ukraine, as the conflict has disrupted trade and other activities between the two countries.
The war, for instance, has affected Ukraine’s ability to export key agricultural products, such as wheat and sunflower seeds, to Thailand.
It has also disrupted travel between the two countries, as commercial airlines are forced to avoid Ukrainian airspace due to the risk of being hit and going around Russian airspace due to sanctions.
The conflict also poses a significant risk to the environment, especially with the seizure of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which Kyiv fears could be a prelude to a wider nuclear disaster that could affect not only Ukraine and its neighbours but also countries on the other side of the world, like Thailand.
“Radiation has no borders,” he said.
Mr Semenov urged Thailand to ramp up its contribution to global peacekeeping efforts.
“We are very grateful for Thailand’s participation in the First Global Peace Summit and the conferences on Food Security and Environmental Safety, which is a significant contribution from the kingdom towards reaching a comprehensive and just solution for lasting peace in Ukraine,” he said.
“The restoration of peace in Ukraine must be based on two principles. First, there should be no discussion about Ukraine without Ukraine [involvement].
“Second, the push should be based on the UN Charter and respect the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine’s internationally recognised borders,” he said.
“We want to enhance our political dialogues with Thailand and continue our political consultations at ministerial and other levels. We are currently working on these issues,” he added.
Mr Semenov said both Thailand and Ukraine have significant potential for mutual economic growth, so both governments must promote closer economic ties.
This could be done by setting up a Joint Trade Commission to identify priority areas for mutual cooperation.
“I will try to encourage [both countries] to boost investments, particularly in the sustainable energy, technology and agriculture sectors,” he added.
At the same time, he would like to enhance technical cooperation between the armed forces, as well as in the fields of science and technology, space exploration, and cultural diplomacy.
“We are currently working on a Ukrainian-Thai poetry collection. For the first time, Ukrainian poems are being translated into Thai,” he added.
Last but not least, Ukraine still requires additional humanitarian aid and technical assistance to support its citizens, who are living under the constant threat of a Russian military assault.
He went on to say that guided missiles have been used to attack various important infrastructure, most notably the nation’s power grid.
Some assistance in protecting the nation’s energy security will be especially useful, especially during the winter, he said.
“In the meantime, we need humanitarian, financial and technical assistance as we continue to fight for our independence and territorial integrity,” he added.
He also said that an increasing number of Ukrainians require mental health assistance because the war has caused significant trauma, not just among individuals but the entire society.
“I would like to underline that, of course, we are eager to strengthen cooperation with Thailand in different spheres. Despite the challenges we are facing because of the war, I am confident that we have huge potential for further developing our partnership,” he said.