The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine has united Ukrainian government and opposition lawmakers under a common struggle for their nation’s freedom and right to exist.
Ideological differences between parties in parliament still remain but the immediate threat to the nation brought support for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“When the full-scale invasion started and when Kyiv was almost encircled here, we all were functioning like one,” said Ivanna Klympysh-Tsintsadze, an opposition lawmaker from the European Solidarity party.
She said opposition lawmakers had made an official declaration of support for Zelenskyy on Feb 24, 2022, in an immediate response to Russia’s first attempt at capturing Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv.
The start of Russia’s advancement into Kyiv saw fierce battles fought with Ukrainian forces in Irpin and Bucha - two areas worst hit in Western Ukraine, with evidence of destruction remaining now, two years on.
While rebuilding efforts are ongoing for residential and commercial buildings damaged by Russian missiles and artillery, local authorities indicated that no repairs will be done on the Irpin Bridge - bombed by Ukrainian forces on Feb 25, 2022, to impede advancements into Kyiv from Irpin.
A new bridge was built across the Irpin River in the village of Romanivka in November last year, but the adjacent destroyed structure will remain as a memorial.
In Bucha, another memorial was set up around a battlefield within a forest that now served as a permanent resting ground for slain civilians and soldiers, their images nailed to the trees, surrounded by messages of solidarity, flowers, and Ukrainian flags.
Both areas were temporarily occupied by the Russian army before being recaptured by Ukrainian forces in the early stages of the war.
“Once we win over the country, we will have the possibilities to fiercely disagree, to fiercely fight our political battles,” Klympysh-Tsintsadze told a group of journalists participating in a visit organised in cooperation with Ukraine Crisis Media Centre.
“At that point when the invasion started it was totally one voice on all issues, including on issues that needed voting in parliament.
“The first two months, there were no draft laws that would be put to the vote if any of the factions would have the slightest objection. Everything was just consensus,” she said.
International pressure a priority
According to Klympysh-Tsintsadze, a current priority for Ukraine would be to seek more military aid from America as well as lobbying international support for the United Nations to impose a trade sanction against Russia.
This was on top of bilateral efforts to stop the purchase of oil and gas from Russia, she added.
On Feb 18, the BBC reported that US President Joe Biden has assured Zelenskyy that US$60 billion in military aid is on its way, pending a final congressional vote.
A first-term government MP, Oleksandr Merezhko from the Servant of the People party, noted that opposition lawmakers could be placed in a difficult position during times of war.
“But I have tremendous respect for the opposition for many reasons.
“One of them that is all of us from the ruling party, we have never been members of parliament.
“And we have a lot to learn from experiences of the opposition,” he said.
Merezhko’s party, named after a Ukrainian television series starring Zelenskyy, was formed ahead of Ukraine’s 2019 general election and successfully emerged as the single ruling party, winning 240 out of 450 seats in parliament.
The opposition bench, meanwhile, comprises four political parties with the remaining 210 seats.
“The good thing is that we’re completely united when it comes to fighting Russian aggression.
“And when it comes to key or core foreign policy issues like EU membership, NATO membership and so on. We are completely united,” said Merezhko.
Commenting further, Merezhko said parliamentary debates had resumed in the past year, describing the development as a positive sign towards the return of “normalcy” in a democracy.
“Sometimes we have problems with political culture but I would say I view most of the opposition MPs as my colleagues, as my friends, and we have a common cause. We need to do everything to survive.
“I believe that some issues should be put off until the election campaign when we can start ‘killing’ each other,” he quipped, adding, “but before the victory, we should remain united.”
No question on Zelenskyy’s legitimacy
Ukraine currently remains under martial law and while Zelenskyy’s official term as president is scheduled to end in May, no elections can be held.
Klympysh-Tsintsadze, however, said all political parties have agreed that the next general election can only be held at least six months after martial law has been lifted.
“I don’t think you will hear from any opposition party that we will doubt Zelenkyy’s legitimacy after May,” she said.
“There will be some sentiment on thinking of how to ensure that everybody will be heard in a situation where elections are not possible.
“But you will not hear any questioning on the legitimacy of the president, because we can’t hold free and fair elections,” she said.
Yesterday marked the second year or 730 days since Russia’s invasion, and Zelenskyy reportedly addressed the nation from the Hostomel Airport where European leaders also came in a show of support.
Among others, he stressed that the war would end on Ukraine’s terms as an independent state.
Ukraine’s major allies include the US, UK, and countries across Europe, while Russia received support from North Korea and Iran, among others. - Mkini
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