June 1, 2022 – The leaders of several key global communities have announced the formation of the Global Central and Eastern European Coalition (CEEC). The founding members include: the Estonian World Council, Lithuanian World Community, Ukrainian World Congress, World Federation of Free Latvians, and World Polonia Council.
Together these organizations represent the interests of more than 50 million people living in over 65 countries around the world. The objective of the CEEC is to further the common interests and development of its constituent communities. Today the main priority of the CEEC is defending their countries and communities around the world from Russia’s escalating aggression.
In a joint statement, the CEEC leaders declared,
“We are all shocked and appalled by the atrocities committed by Russia’s forces in Bucha, Mariupol, and across Ukraine. Our objective is to support Ukraine’s ability to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity and to stand against Russia’s brutal and unprovoked assault. What is happening in Ukraine can happen anywhere in the region. All countries neighboring Russia today feel threatened.
There is simply no justification or provocation for Russia’s war. It is nothing less than a direct challenge to the rules-based international order established since the end of World War II. This Russian attack threatens to return us to decades of war like those that ravaged Europe in the 20th Century.”
The CEEC will continue to build its coalition and invite likeminded global communities to join.
Furthermore, the CEEC endorsed the nearly unanimous UN General Assembly resolution of March 2, 2022 demanding the Russian Federation immediately end its invasion of Ukraine and unconditionally withdraw all its military forces from that neighboring country.
Deploring in the strongest terms its aggression against Ukraine in violation of the Charter of the United Nations, the Assembly also demanded the Russian Federation immediately and unconditionally reverse its 21 February decision related to the status of certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.
The Assembly demanded that the Russian Federation immediately cease its unlawful use of force against Ukraine and refrain from any further threat or use of force against any United Nations Member State, while also deploring Belarus’ involvement in this illegal action and calling on that country to abide by its international obligations.
For more information:
Mariia Kupriianova, Director, Operations
Ukrainian World Congress
Tel.: + 1.416.323.3020 [email protected]