It was powerful to hear President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speak, Socialist Left Party (SV) leader Audun Lysbakken said on Wednesday. He believes Norway should contribute more economically.
“There were some very specific requests from the president that I think we should keep in mind. Not least when it comes to obligations for reconstruction after the war,” Lysbakken said after hearing Zelenskyy speak to the Norwegian parliament (Storting).
We must do what we can to support the war-torn country, Lysbakken believes.
“We must do that in the areas where we have advantages. The financial (area). Accept refugees, contribute with emergency aid, and reconstruction,” he said.
The call to close ports to Russian ships is more difficult.
“This is an issue that the government must consider. We have not requested it. It is a complicated case for a country like Norway,” he said.
Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
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Good to see Norway wanting to help Ukraine rebuild.
However, Ukraine could have instead declared Kharkiv and Mariupol to be Open Cities, sparing them destruction and heavy loss of innocent life. Even Pope Francis was calling for Kyiv to be declared an Open City, when a battle for it had seemed to start.
Wiki: “In war, an open city is a settlement which has announced it has abandoned all defensive efforts, generally in the event of the imminent capture of the city to avoid destruction. Once a city has declared itself open the opposing military will be expected under international law to peacefully occupy the city rather than destroy it. According to the Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions, it is forbidden for the attacking party to “attack, by any means whatsoever, non-defended localities”.[1] The intent is to protect the city’s civilians and cultural landmarks from a battle which may be futile.”
Instead, Ukraine chose to fortify them and make them battlegrounds with innocent deaths probable.