Prince Charlesis denouncing Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
The royal and his wife,Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, are visiting the seaside town for a council meeting to confer its status as a city. The Freedom of the City will also be presented to the widow ofSir David Amess, who was killed in a terrorist attack outside of his constituency surgery in October 2021.
Prince Charlesdescribed Amess' murder as “an attack on democracy,” before touching on the tragedy currently unfolding elsewhere in Europe.
“What we saw in the terrible tragedy in Southend was an attack on democracy, on an open society, on freedom itself,” the princesaid. “We are seeing those same values under attack today in Ukraine in the most unconscionable way. In the stand we take here, we are in solidarity with all those who are resisting brutal aggression.”
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“Prince Harryand Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and all of us at Archewell stand with the people of Ukraine against this breach of international and humanitarian law and encourage the global community and its leaders to do the same,“a statement postedto their Archewell Foundation website last week read.
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Prince WilliamandKate Middletonechoed similar sentiments,sharing a messageof support for Ukraine on their joint@KensingtonRoyalTwitter account on Feb. 26.
“In October 2020 we had the privilege to meet President Zelenskyy and the First Lady to learn of their hope and optimism for Ukraine’s future,” the statement from the couple began.
“Today we stand with the President and all of Ukraine’s people as they bravely fight for that future,” their statement continued, adding an emoji of Ukraine’s flag.
Thousands more people have fled or tried to escape Ukraine amid warnings of a possible “refugee crisis.” The invasion has drawn widespread condemnation around the world and increasingly severe economic sanctions against Russia.
Various countries have also pledged aid or military support to Ukraine, whose president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has called for peace talks while urging his country to resist.
Putin insists Ukraine has historic ties to Russia and he is acting in the interest of so-called “peacekeeping.”
“The prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine,“President Joe Bidensaid as the invasion began in force in February.
source: people.com