An Amis man has volunteered to join the international legion of Ukraine’s territorial defense forces, after submitting his application at the nation’s embassy in Finland on Monday.
Wang Jui-ti (王芮緹) told the Central News Agency that he flew to Finland from Taiwan on Saturday and completed his application at the Ukrainian embassy on Monday morning.
Wang, 35, said it was depressing for him to watch the brutal images of the war on TV, as he had never imagined such events could occur in the 21st century.
Photo: CNA
“I want to do my part to defend basic human values,” Wang said. “I don’t have any money [to donate to the cause], but I’m willing to shed my blood in return for Ukrainians’ freedom.”
Wang, who cycled across Europe to the Vatican in 2016 and 2017 in memory of his late girlfriend, said a decision to fight in Ukraine’s foreign legion is only suitable for people like him who have no ties or commitments at home.
“If I end up dying, at least I’d be able to see [my late girlfriend] again,” Wang said.
Explaining why he chose to submit his application in Finland, Wang said when he was on his European cycling tour he ran out of money and was stranded in Finland, but people there made donations to help him after his story was published by local media.
“That trip through Finland marked the first major turning point in my life, and so maybe coming here again will lead to the second,” he said.
After submitting his foreign legion application at the embassy, Wang said he had a 10-minute interview, during which he explained that he had served as a sentinel in Taiwan’s Military Police and knew how to use firearms.
While awaiting an e-mail about his application, Wang said that he planned to travel by ferry to Latvia and then cycle through Lithuania to Poland.
If his application is rejected, he would consider reapplying in one of those nations, he said.
Having arrived in Finland with very little money, Wang said that he had been camping in a broken tent and was surprised to find that the temperature was still below 0°C, but it would all be worthwhile if he could fulfill his wish to help the Ukrainian people.
The Ukrainian Foreign Legion was created late last month by the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to allow foreign nationals to join the fight against Russia after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
As of last week, about 20,000 people from 52 nations had volunteered to join the force, the Ukrainian government said, despite many governments strongly discouraging their citizens from doing so.
Asked about Wang’s decision yesterday, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said that while it was based on “commendable” values, he would not encourage other Taiwanese to volunteer to fight in Ukraine.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said that it would not encourage such actions, but there were no laws preventing Taiwanese from traveling to Ukraine.
People who are considering traveling to the region should contact the ministry so that it could clearly explain the risks involved, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said.
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