The honorary consulate of Ukraine in Panama commemorated the third anniversary of the beginning of the war in its country due to the Russian invasion. During the event, optimism was expressed about the possible end of the occupation, with the hope that the next anniversary will celebrate peace and analyze how it was achieved.
"Ukraine is quite positive that this year peace will be achieved. We see mass graves over there, many families and children," highlighted a representative at the press conference. Accompanying him were Panamanian deputy José Ramos and Natalia Bischuk, a member of the Ukrainian diaspora in Panama.
José Ramos shared his participation in an interparliamentary conference with the Ukrainian Parliament and expressed his opposition to Russia's incorporation as a Permanent Observer State in the Parlacen, pointing out the danger posed by its authoritarian regime. On the other hand, Natalia Bischuk, originally from Kherson, a city affected by the war, mentioned the situation of her 85-year-old mother, who refuses to leave to care for her dog.
The honorary consul of Ukraine in Panama, Nicolas Vukelja Duque, emphasized the importance of Ukraine participating in peace negotiations and mentioned the initial approaches between the United States and Russia as a first step. Additionally, it is expected that this year an embassy will open in Panama to strengthen diplomatic and commercial ties in Latin America.
In a photographic exhibition at the consulate, images from the first year of the Russian occupation were displayed. Bischuk shared personal experiences about the impacts of the conflict on her family, mentioning the difficulty of evacuating elderly people and the devastating effects of the attacks in Kherson. Despite the challenges, hope remains to achieve peace and rebuild what has been lost in the region.
