Government Strongly Urges Peaceful Resolution for Ukraine

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] On the 22nd, the government expressed serious concerns about the recent escalating tensions in Ukraine.

On the 22nd, the government stated in a Foreign Ministry spokesperson's statement, "Our government has consistently supported Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

The government urged, "We strongly call on the relevant parties to seek peaceful solutions while respecting international law and the Minsk agreements," and added, "We plan to prioritize the safety of our citizens residing locally and take measures to prepare for any possible situations."

At the regular briefing on the same day, spokesperson Choi Young-sam responded to a question asking, "Has there been any demand from the international community to join sanctions, and if so, does our government plan to comply?" by saying, "Our government is also closely monitoring the situation with concern along with the majority of the international community."

He added, "We are closely communicating with the international community, carefully observing the situation, and continuing related communication efforts as necessary."

This can be interpreted as the government being open to reviewing participation in sanctions against Russia if requested by the United States or others in the future.

Meanwhile, on the 21st (local time), Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a presidential decree recognizing the independence of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) in eastern Ukraine, and decided to deploy Russian troops to the region under the pretext of peacekeeping.

The United States and Western countries consider this a clear violation of Ukraine's sovereignty by Russia and a breach of international law, and have imposed sanctions.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.