Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Dzhaparova travelled to the Grand Duchy to meet with local politicians and plea for continued support against the Russian invasion.
After Ukraine's President Zelensky addressed the Chamber of Deputies via video conference earlier this week, the war-torn country's Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs travelled to the Grand Duchy to reiterate - in person - Ukraine's need for continued support.
During her visit, Minister Dzhaparova met with Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, Minister of Defence François Bausch, as well as her direct counterpart, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Jean Asselborn. She further joined a session of the Chamber of Deputies.
The 39-year-old Deputy Minister, who is a former journalist and news presenter, was already Minister of Information Policy in Petro Poroschenko's administration. Minister Dzhaparova is a native of Crimea, the peninsula that has long been affected by Russian aggression, even before the 2014 annexation.
She noted: "My grandmother cried every time she told me the story of the deportation [of the Crimean Tatars], even at the age of 90. I never imagined I would have to endure the same feeling of losing my home in 2014, the worst and most challenging time of my life, when I had to leave the peninsula."
When Russia annexed Crimea, Minister Dzhaparova fled to Kyiv together with her husband, their five-year-old daughter, and their cat: "Back then I thought that was the most challenging time... but I was wrong. On 24 February this year, my people had to suffer yet another tragedy."
Ukraine's Deputy Minster for Foreign Affairs underlined that the story of the Crimean peninsula reflects and explains much of the current conflict.
The politician also spoke to RTL's Raphaëlle Dickes about the ongoing war, her meeting with Ukrainian refugees in Luxembourg, and the need for modern weapon systems.
