Greek PM: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has ushered in new ‘cold war’

Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said on Thursday that Russia’s unexpected invasion of Ukraine represents the “undoing of the regime of peace and security” and has ushered in “a new cold war that no one knows how it will end.”

“We did not want this war; the West, the EU and NATO did not want it. Putin chose it and he will pay the consequences and, unfortunately, the Russian people will pay for them,” Mitsotakis told private broadcaster Alpha TV.

“The sanctions are already bringing the Russian economy to its knees and will hurt the weakest.”

READ MORE: Thousands attend anti-war protest in Athens as Ukraine braces for all-out Russian attack.

Mitsotakis then defended the decision to send military equipment to Ukraine “as morally correct and a national imperative.”

“With what moral standing could we ask for such assistance if we were in a similar situation. We had a reason to be on the right side of history,” he said.

Greek convoy from Mariupol reaches Dnipro:

Turning to refugees, Mitsotakis confirmed a convoy of cars with Ukrainians of Greek descent had already left besieged Mariupol, but stressed “this does not mean that tens of thousands of Ukrainians of Greek descent are not in danger.” 

READ MORE: ‘People are scared’: Ukraine’s Greek communities in agony as war rages on.

“In this matter, Russia has chosen a tactic of violent bombing, which unfortunately will also mean bombing civilians,” the Greek Prime Minister said.

According to Ekathimerini, the operation to evacuate Greek citizens and staff of the Mariupol consulate (Nostos 3) left the besieged city on Wednesday but found itself under fire. It is still unclear where the attack originated from, and whether it was stray fire or deliberate.

The head of the mission, Ambassador Fragiskos Kostellenos, is expected to return to Mariupol after the convoy reaches the border of Moldova. The Consul General Manolis Androulakis has remained in the city.

The Greek foreign ministry has issued advisories urging Greek citizens to immediately leave Ukraine and to avoid travelling there. 

Roughly 100 refugees arrived on Thursday morning at Greece’s border with Bulgaria in Promachonas as the war in Ukraine intensifies.

According to the Migration and Asylum Ministry, Greece will provide one-year protection status along with rights to work and medical care to Ukrainian refugees entering the country.

READ MORE: World leaders react as Ukraine loses control of Chernobyl to Russian forces.

Source: Ekathimerini.