The primary motive of Russian aggression against Ukrainians is purely colonialist – the Russian leadership wants its domination over Ukrainian land and over our resources. And for a long time it was heard in Moscow that they would not restore the Russian empire without seizing the territory of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said in a speech during a video link with the university community of Chile.
"When Moscow saw that the world would not turn a blind eye to Russian atrocities, they wanted to bring the whole world to its knees. That is why the food crisis has become so acute. That is why Russia is deliberately destabilizing the energy markets. That is why Russian policy is deepening the crisis of the cost of living in many countries for mercenary motives. And this is why we must jointly resist Russian aggression," he said.
"When a state turns energy poverty or hunger into a weapon, it is a blow to everyone in the world. When a state tries to conquer another because it wants to be a colonizer, it is a threat to all who value their independence. And when people are killed simply because they are, because they belong to their people, because they do not give up their homeland, it is a threat to humanity as such. Can you stay away? Can you stay indifferent? I don't believe that," he added, urging Chileans to oppose Russian propaganda, demand accountability for Russian war crimes and support sanctions the aggressor state.