Ukraine has been enduring russian aggression for 612 days and remains a bastion of freedom and democratic values for Europe and the entire civilized world.
We value the friendship and partnership of our European colleagues, understand the importance of the support from allied nations in restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity, and believe that this support is sincere and conscious. Therefore, we consider the message spread by the Delegation of the European Union to russia regarding the return of the European Film Festival to russia to be an unfortunate misunderstanding.
The message states that from November 1 to 15, the festival plans to showcase 21 films from EU countries and two films produced jointly by russian and European film studios.
To halt russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine and prevent the emergence of new centers of hostilities incited by russia on the territory of European nations, it is crucial to maintain an effective sanctions policy not only in the economic sphere but also in culture, including the film-making sphere.
It is essential for the entire European community to be united and resolute in countering the evil that the aggressor-state has become today. Millions of people suffer from the russia’s actions, with 835 cultural heritage sites and 1702 cultural infrastructure objects destroyed, which hold not only value for Ukraine but are also part of European and global cultural heritage. Therefore, restoring cultural dialogue with the aggressor-state under these circumstances is unacceptable.
