Ukraine is defending the freedom and democracy of Western countries by defending itself from the Russian aggression and it should be supported in that, it was said in Zagreb on Saturday at a rally in support of Ukraine on the occasion of the second anniversary of the Russian invasion.

Give them what they need, that is the message to the world, to support Ukrainians in these moments of struggle, of the defence of key values – freedom and democracy, Ukrainian Ambassador to Croatia Vasyl Kyrylych.

In two years of war, per the Ukrainian Embassy, Russia has killed 11,634 civilians, including 514 children, and destroyed 110,957 apartment buildings, 2,892 schools and 723 hospitals.

Freedom and democracy are every Ukrainian’s key words, words which the Russian aggressor fears, and in fear of those values, he is looking for the possibility to destroy everyone who holds them in his heart, the ambassador said, calling for unity and togetherness.

Russia’s actions in Ukraine are undermining international principles that are key for peace and security, said US Ambassador to Croatia Nathalie Rayes.

By endangering those principles, Russia is endangering the international system, threatening the prosperity and future of Europe and its transatlantic partners. We must not allow Russia to win nor will we allow it. The democracies of the world will safeguard freedom now, tomorrow and forever, she added.

Europe will continue to support Ukraine as long as necessary, said Belgian Ambassador to Croatia William De Baets.

When the time comes, Ukraine must come to the negotiating table strong, with its peace formula, because Ukraine’s struggle is also a struggle for our common fundamental values and principles – democracy, sovereignty, territorial integrity, human rights and rule of law. Their victory will also be our victory, he added.

The history of the European civilisation clearly teaches us that those who think that evil can be defeated by calculating and yielding will have that evil on their doorstep tomorrow, said Croatian MEP Karlo Ressler (EPP).

Those who think that Croatia doesn’t care if some expansionist concept of a Russian world prevails in Ukraine will soon have in our neighbourhood those who will dare to copy such malign expansionist, hegemonic policy concepts, he said.

We have a clear moral responsibility to take the side of freedom against tyranny, he added.