St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has boldly stated that his country is a friend of the Russian Federation.
On Wednesday’s (March 2) airing of popular radio show Your Morning Cup with Johnny P. Straker, the prime minister was featured.
“I have no problem in saying that St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a friend of the Russian Federation. I have no problem in saying that we are a friend of every country in the world. That’s why we’re able to speak frankly to a number of leaders and other countries about our position,” noted Prime Minister Gonsalves.
While on the show, the PM spoke in detail on the critical points of a letter he wrote to the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, before the invasion. He believes his statements remained consistent with Inga Rhonda King, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the United Nations in New York. They spoke against the act at the emergency U.N. Security Council meeting from February 28 to March 2.
“We’re not in anybody’s choir,” he told Straker firmly, “…now some persons may ask ‘how you consider them to be your friend?’ America is our friend; European countries are our friends. In the case of Russia, we have students (on scholarships) there. Russia assisted us with vaccines when we couldn’t get from anybody else.”
“Even when we had money to buy AstraZeneca, we couldn’t buy, and India helped us. We even have a cooperation agreement with Russia. We recently received a delegation from the Russian Federation. They want to have the World Expo in Moscow for 2030; Saudi Arabia also sent a delegation, and I imagine so too will South Korea because they’re also interested (in hosting the event). All those countries are our friends,” the PM insisted.
Despite his stance, the Prime Minister clarified that even if Russia’s claims are valid regarding security concerns in the Donbas region, riding “horse and chariot through the UN Charter” remains unjustified.
He corroborated Ambassador King’s statement at the summit, which read, “St Vincent and the Grenadines is unwaveringly committed to the purposes and principles of the U.N. charter…which prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. As well as non-interference in the internal affairs of states and the right to self-determination.”
Ambassador King further insisted that the Russian Federation cease its military operation and immediately withdraw its forces from Ukraine.
The PM concluded that the Russian-Ukraine conflict will pose much suffering for the larger and smaller countries, especially those who are still struggling to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and natural disasters.
