Polish Office in Taipei Director Cyryl Kozaczewski yesterday expressed thanks to Taiwan for aiding Ukrainian refugees, during his speech at a commemoration in Taipei of the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The event was held at the 228 Peace Memorial Park, and Ludzie, a film about the Russian-Ukrainian war, was screened.
It has been more than a decade since Russia illegally annexed Crimea, and Russia’s atrocities in Ukraine’s Bucha and Mariupol should not be forgotten, Kozaczewski said.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
Ludzie is important, as it shows the lives of Ukrainian women and children under Russian aggression, since news media and political commentators focus only on the battlefield and casualties, he said.
“Ukraine will defend its sovereignty, and it will defend it with the support of friends. Each contribution, each support ... is a small brick that builds in Ukraine the wall ... against Russian aggression,” Kozaczewski said.
European Economic and Trade Office (EETO) in Taiwan Director Lutz Gullner in his remarks also said that people should remember what has happened in the Russian-Ukrainian war.
The number of casualties cannot represent the life stories of numerous Ukrainians and families, he said, adding that the EETO would continue to support Ukraine.
Ukrainians’ lives have been under threat of war since Russia invaded Crimea in 2014, Liberal Democratic League of Ukraine East Asian Office head Mariia Makarovych said.
Ukraine has sustained great losses and tragedies in the war, as Taiwan did in the 228 Massacre in 1947, she said.
Ukrainians would strive to fight for democracy, she added.
Separately yesterday, the government pledged more humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
Since the full-scale invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022, Taipei has stood with like-minded countries to help Ukraine, particularly in terms of humanitarian needs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The ministry said it has also been keeping abreast of the latest developments in the war and the views of European countries, as the US and Russia hold peace talks.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine three years ago, the US has been the Kyiv’s biggest supporter, but over the past few weeks the dynamics seem to have shifted, as US President Donald Trump has been excluding Ukraine from peace talks, which has drawn criticism from Kyiv and some of Washington’s European partners.
The government has been giving humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, providing medical equipment and daily necessities, Department of European Affairs Deputy Director-General Josephine Lee (李秀窈) said on Feb. 11.
Taiwan has also been helping the Ukrainian government and people rebuild their infrastructure, including roads, schools, hospitals, and water and electricity systems, she added.
As of this month, Taiwan has allocated more than US$130 million for Ukrainian infrastructure projects, such as bridges, hospitals, churches and schools, while private donations for the war-torn country have exceeded US$32 million, the ministry said.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
Greenpeace yesterday said that it is to appeal a decision last month by the Taipei High Administrative Court to dismiss its 2021 lawsuit against the Ministry of Economic Affairs over “loose” regulations governing major corporate electricity consumers. The climate-related lawsuit — the first of its kind in Taiwan — sought to require the government to enforce higher green energy thresholds on major corporations to reduce emissions in light of climate change and an uptick in extreme weather. The suit, filed by Greenpeace East Asia, the Environmental Jurists Association and four individual plaintiffs, was dismissed on May 8 following four years of litigation. The
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
The New Taipei City Government would assist relatives of those killed or injured in last month’s car-ramming incident in Sansia District (三峽) to secure compensation, Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said yesterday, two days after the driver died in a hospital. “The city government will do its best to help the relatives of the car crash incident seek compensation,” Hou said. The mayor also said that the city’s Legal Affairs, Education and Social Welfare departments have established a joint mechanism to “provide coordinated assistance” to victims and their families. Three people were killed and 12 injured when a car plowed into schoolchildren and their
RSS