Ukrainian students in Tilburg: ‘We cannot let the world live in fear’

The war in Ukraine has major consequences for the population. Ukrainian students at Tilburg University are very concerned. In an open letter, they call for more action against Putin-led Russia.

The situation in Ukraine significantly deteriorated in the last few days. Our families and friends are hiding across Ukraine, some of them are still staying in shelters in Kyiv hoping that missiles won’t hit their houses and wondering when they can leave their house again without being in danger of dying. No one expected a war of such a scale… Family of one of us left the city on the 25.02 right after the missile hit the building in the same district of Kyiv, where they live…

Therefore, we, as Ukrainian society of Tilburg University, want to spread awareness among the university community about what is happening back home. While our friends are hiding from bombs and rockets in shelters, families are hiding all over Ukraine, we want to make our best from here and support them distantly from the Netherlands by any ways that are available for us now.

Mainly, making governments of the European nations take serious actions since it will affect not only our country, but the whole Europe. Russia already threatened another country, Finland, not to join NATO if it does not want any serious military consequences.

We cannot let this world live in fear of some crazy dictator just across the border… We need to show government that they have to act more seriously and stop Russian terrorists… Because soon it can be all over Europe… We believe that the Netherlands would always fight for liberty and people’s lives…

How can you help Ukraine now?

1. We ask to daily condemn the aggression on all and any diplomatic platform, in any international organization.

2. We ask for financial and humanitarian assistance, weapons, petrol and equipment for Ukraine.

3. We ask to lobby for devastating sanctions on Russia, embargo on the import of Russian oil and gas, freezing of Russian state assets abroad, closing ports and airports for Russian ships and planes. Reach out to your representatives in the Parliaments and urge them to support sanctions against the Russian Federation. To stop the war, the world needs to introduce sanctions with immediate effects. Every day of delay means the death of innocent people.

4. We ask to completely block Russian state media in the Netherlands. They spread lies, propaganda and poison your countrymen and countrywomen.

5. We ask to encourage your political leaders to support the decision of introducing a for No-Fly Zone over Ukraine. This practice was used in Libya in 2011 when NATO suspended all flights over the country’s territory. This measure should be introduced to protect Ukrainian civilians from Russian jets, drones, and missiles.

6. Russians attacking Ukraine have no morality, no values. They are bombing kindergartens, hospitals and residential areas in cities all around Ukraine! They are killing innocent civilians, prohibited by all possible norms of international law. Putin is a war criminal and a threat to humanity! Ukrainians are vigilantly gathering evidence of war crimes against humanity to convict Putin and bring him to justice. Support the establishment of an international tribunal to prosecute Putin!

We propose you to cooperate, so that we can create a bigger impact together, than on our own. We have some ideas, how we can do that:

• Set posters around the campus (We have them).
• Broadcast info on displays on campus.
• Throw a protest on campus or near municipality .
• Send information through university mailing list and social media with links to donate to National bank of Ukraine and Ukrainian army forces as well as charity organizations.
• Do Ukrainian day on campus or something like that.

We want the government to start acting more seriously to save millions of lives. 

Thank you for being with us at this difficult time! Together we will prove to the world and ourselves that humanity has not yet lost the strength to fight evil and anomy.

The names of the Ukrainian students are known to the editors, but are not published for security reasons.

_Advertentie.