President George Vella, Prime Minister Robert Abela, Opposition Leader Bernard Grech, EP President Roberta Metsola and ADPD have condemned the attack on Ukraine by the Russian forces on Thursday.

Russian troops launched their anticipated attack on Ukraine on Thursday, as President Vladmir Putin cast aside international condemnation and sanctions, warning other countries that any attempt to interfere would lead to “consequences you have never seen.”

Big explosions were heard before dawn in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa as world leaders decried the start of a Russian invasion that could cause massive casualties and topple Ukraine’s democratically elected government.

In a statement, Vella expressed his grave concern and conveys his support to the Government and People of Ukraine. 

This escalation, and in particular the events that are being reported, represent a threat not only to the people of Ukraine but also for European and global stability. 

President Vella joined other authorities and international actors in calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities, a withdrawal of military forces from Ukraine and for the full respect of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence. 

All efforts should be made for restraint to prevail, for the full respect of international law, and to avert the real risk of further deterioration of the situation, he said.

In a Facebook post published on Thursday morning, Abela said “tension in Ukraine and intelligence over the possibility of a military attack is a situation which had been persisting for a long time but the current scenes are heart-breaking to see.”

He said that the preferred path entails a diplomatic solution which safeguards peace through dialogue.

“We have always insisted that dialogue and finding solutions is better than any conflict,” Abela said.

Abela is expected to join EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday evening for an urgent European Council convened by president Charles Michel on the situation on the Ukranian borders.

“We will continue to support and show solidarity with Ukraine. We condemn any aggression or threat to the integrity and territorial sovereignty of this state,” Abela said.

Speaker Anġlu Farrugia also expressed his condemnation following this morning’s military invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces.

He noted that this attack may have further far-reaching consequences which may affect world peace and security.

While expressing his solidarity with the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) and the people of Ukraine in such a difficult moment, he calls for restraint and for the resumption of diplomatic dialogue to reach a peaceful settlement of the conflict.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Bernard Grech, while also condemning such attacks, said that this goes against international treaties and the Ukranian territorial integrity.

“Malta must fully support European efforts for a coordinated response through economic sanctions and all European citizens should be kept regularly updated on these sanctions and their effectiveness,” Grech said.

“We are concerned that the escalation of tensions will have impacts beyond the region. As a result, coordination at European level is also needed to ensure that these effects have the least impact on the lives of Europeans and Maltese in particular,” he added.

“This is a very ugly, delicate, and threatening moment for stability in Europe and around the world.

As a country we must show solidarity with the people of Ukraine, and while observing our neutrality, we must send the message that actions which jeopardize the integrity and sovereignty of a country are not acceptable,” Grech said.

Earlier on Thursday, EP President Roberta Metsola also condemned Russia’s “unjustified attack” on Ukraine.

“In these dark hours, our thoughts are with Ukraine and the innocent women, men and children as they face this unprovoked attack and fear for their lives.

"We will hold the Kremlin accountable,” Metsola said.

Meanwhile, in another statement, ADPD called for the immediate suspension of the Individual Investor Programme.

“Following the Russian’s attack on Ukraine, we join the Greens in the European Parliament and insist that massive violations of international law and border shifts in Europe need to be met with a forceful reaction. 

It is clear that the Russian President is further turning the escalation spiral, trying to rewrite history into an imperial narrative. We are all set to lose if international rules can be broken without consequences,” ADPD said.

ADPD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said that the European continent is in grave danger and appealed to Abela and Grech to put their political differences aside and show the government of the Russian Federation that the acts of aggression in Ukraine are being condemned.

At this stage it is now clearer than ever that the programme poses a risk to our collective European security. It is not possible to know who is trying to take advantage of the terms of the scheme in order to put Europe at risk. I also call on the Malta Individual Investor Programme Agency to put all Maltese passports issued to holders of Russian passports under review and for details of such passport holders to be shared among the European security establishment as a matter of urgency, ADPD said.

Cacopardo added that “it is our collective duty to ensure that Malta is on the right side of history. We must not undermine the collective European response, which must be strong and proportionate. This is not the time for profit, but time to do the right thing."