图片: ©Royal Netherlands Marechaussee

人类的历史就是一场接一场的战争。这也是一部有罪不罚和痛苦的历史。但是，在我们所有人都受到法律保护的普遍信念的指引下，防止战争和结束有罪不罚现象的决心也日益增强。

去年3月，在回应俄罗斯对乌克兰的全面非法入侵时，我们看到了这种决心。141个联合国会员国以压倒性多数投票赞成一项决议，谴责俄罗斯所谓的“特别军事行动”，“最强烈地谴责俄罗斯联邦对乌克兰的侵略”，并“要求俄罗斯联邦立即停止对乌克兰使用武力”。我们在10月12日也看到了这一点，当时，在联合国大会上，143个会员国投票赞成谴责俄罗斯对乌克兰的吞并企图的决议。这明确表示，世界上绝大多数国家都能明辨是非。

自俄罗斯开始全面入侵以来，已经过去了一年。俄罗斯军队和炸弹仍然在乌克兰造成严重破坏。每天都有新的临时棺材被生产出来，里面装着无辜的乌克兰人残缺不全的尸体，其中许多是儿童。我们得阻止这一切。

如果要采纳一些评论家的观点，欧洲国家应该停止向乌克兰提供武器、对俄罗斯实施制裁等拱火浇油的行为。但是，如果乌克兰不再获得自卫的装备，俄罗斯军队会撤退吗？如果我们取消对俄罗斯的制裁，俄罗斯会把非法占领的地区还给乌克兰吗？当然不会。

这样的建议是出于政治动机，掩盖俄罗斯的罪行，转而指责“美西方”。这可能会愚弄一些人，但乌克兰人明白一个基本事实，即谋杀同胞的责任在于拿着枪和扣动扳机的人。

此外，这些建议对乌克兰毫无帮助。想象一下：如果在俄罗斯导弹袭击后，你不得不从废墟中拖出你孩子的尸体，你是想听到外国政治家声称这都是北约的错？还是你更期望他们能够送来反击的军事装备？

这其实都归结为一个基本的道德问题。当你看到你的邻居在街上被攻击时，你会去帮助他。你不会把受害者的手绑在身后，让攻击者对他为所欲为。

欧洲并没有因为支持乌克兰而延长战争。俄罗斯拒绝结束其非法入侵才是延长战争的原因。俄罗斯选择撤退不应该被视为失败，也不应该被视为羞辱。它表示俄罗斯回归理性，是对国际法和联合国宪章的尊重。

乌克兰总统泽连斯基提出了一个非常具体和实质性的和平公式。我们支持在尊重乌克兰在其国际公认边界内的独立、主权和领土完整以及其固有自卫权的基础上实现公正和平的倡议。我们支持在乌克兰实现符合《联合国宪章》的全面、公正和持久和平的外交努力。

自第二次世界大战以来，面对俄罗斯的侵略，欧洲从未像今天这样感到威胁——这是一个来自核大国和联合国安理会常任理事国的侵略行为。但自欧盟成立以来，它也从未像现在这样团结。我们的政府和我们的公民坚信，支持乌克兰是正确的选择。

我可以自豪地说，俄罗斯全面侵略开始一年以来，荷兰已经提供了180亿元人民币来支持乌克兰自卫、解决人道主义状况、促进乌克兰重建、安置乌克兰难民，并打击有罪不罚的现象。欧盟及其成员国累计为乌克兰及其人民提供了至少4920亿人民币的支持。中国政府提供了3500万人民币的援助，并表示将继续以自己的方式发挥建设性作用。

今天，我们纪念一件很悲伤的事实——俄罗斯对乌克兰发动的灾害性、无端和非法侵略战争已经一年了。但请允许我以乐观的态度结束：我相信，今年，如果我们团结一致支持乌克兰，我们将取得成功，正义最终将获胜。

English translation: 

Six makeshift coffins, one of them not much larger than the size of a baby. A member of the International Criminal Court’s forensic investigation team that went to Ukraine last year, and who took part in the examination of the six bodies, said the following: ‘A kind of higher ethical standard that we as humanity have agreed upon. That we do not do this. That we do not attack civilians. That we do not drop bombs on them. And that, if you decide to do so, you will be held accountable.’

Humanity’s history has been a long sequence of war upon war. A history of impunity and suffering. But there has also been a growing determination to prevent wars and end impunity, guided by the universal belief that all of us are protected by the law.

We saw this determination on display in March last year, in response to Russia’s full scale illegal invasion of Ukraine. An overwhelming majority of 141 UN member states voted in favor of a resolution that condemns Russia’s so-called “special military operation”, “deplores in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine”, and “demands that the Russian Federation immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine”. We also saw it on October 12, when the United Nations General Assembly voted with a large majority of 143 Member States in favor of the resolution condemning the Russian attempted annexations in Ukraine. A clear signal that the vast majority of countries around the world know right from wrong.

A year has passed since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Russian troops and bombs are still wreaking havoc in Ukraine. New makeshift coffins are being produced every day, in them the maimed bodies of innocent Ukrainians, many of them children. We need to make this stop.

If we are to take the view put forward by some commentators, European countries should stop fanning the flames by supplying Ukraine with arms and imposing sanctions on Russia. But if Ukraine no longer receives the means to defend itself, will Russian troops pull out? If we abolish sanctions on Russia, will Russia return the illegally annexed regions to Ukraine? Of course not.

Such proposals are politically motivated to conceal Russia’s crimes and to blame “the west” instead. This may fool some, but Ukrainians understand the basic truth that the responsibility for the murder of their compatriots lies with the one who points the gun and pulls the trigger.

Moreover, these proposals do nothing to help Ukraine. Just imagine: If you had to drag your child’s corpse out of the rubble after a Russian missile strike, would you rather hear foreign politicians claim that this was somehow all NATO’s fault? Or would you rather have them send military equipment so you can fight back?

It really all comes down to a basic question of morality. When you witness your neighbor being assaulted on the street, you come to their aid. You don’t tie the victim’s hands behind their back so that the assailant can have their way with them.

Europe is not prolonging the war by supporting Ukraine. Russia is prolonging the war by refusing to end its illegal invasion. A Russian withdrawal should not be seen as a defeat. Nor should it be seen as a humiliation. It is a return to reason, and to respect of international law and the UN Charter.

Ukrainian president Zelensky has put forward a concrete and substantial peace formula. We support this initiative for a just peace based on respect for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and its inherent right of self-defense. We support diplomatic efforts to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine consistent with the UN Charter.

Never since World War 2 has Europe felt more threatened than today in the face of Russian aggression – aggression committed by a large nuclear power and permanent member of the UN Security Council. But never since its inception has the EU been more unified either. Our governments and our citizens firmly believe that supporting Ukraine is the right thing to do.

I am proud to say that the Netherlands has made available 18 billion RMB to support Ukraine in defending itself, address the humanitarian situation, facilitate Ukraine’s reconstruction, to house Ukrainian refugees, and to fight impunity. The EU and its Member States together have provided support to Ukraine and its people, amounting to at least 492 billion RMB. The Chinese government has made available 35 million RMB to support Ukraine and has stated that it will continue to play a constructive role in its own way.

On this day we mark the sad fact that it has been one year since the disastrous, unprovoked and illegal Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. But let me end on an optimistic note: I believe that this year, if we stand together in our support for Ukraine, we will succeed, and justice will prevail.