Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires in Argentina, Sergiy Nebrat, today thanked Argentina for its humanitarian aid at a Ukraine solidarity event in the headquarters of the European Union’s delegation to Argentina, marking one year since the Russian invasion.

“In the first months, we were expecting more support from the Argentine government. Now, I can say that we are satisfied with the humanitarian aid, the Chancellery and the White Helmets,” Nebrat told the Herald during a press conference. 

“We have [received] twelve shipments of humanitarian aid directly from the Republic of Argentina to Ukraine in the twelve months of this terrible war.”

He added that Argentina’s role in the UN Human Rights Council has been “very important”.

Argentine foreign minister Santiago Cafiero exchanged diplomatic credentials with Ukraine’s new ambassador, Yurii Klymenko, in San Martín palace on Friday afternoon.

In response to questions from the press about sanctions against Russia, the EU ambassador to Argentina, Amador Sánchez Rico, said: “At the moment, more than 50% of the world’s GDP is putting sanctions on Russia, and they are producing the effects that we hoped.”

He recognized that countries in South America are not currently placing sanctions on Russia, but described such measures as “coercive weapons that are within our reach”.

His comments echoed remarks by Nebrat yesterday suggesting that Argentina impose sanctions on Russia’s oil and agricultural sectors and “diminish” Russia’s diplomatic presence in the country.

Japanese ambassador to Argentina, Hiroshi Yamauchi, speaking in the context of Japan’s pro tempore G7 presidency, highlighted the importance of avoiding the use of nuclear weapons in the conflict.

“Japan is the only country that has suffered the use of nuclear weapons in war,” he said. “The fact that Russia is utilizing nuclear arms as a form of threat leaves us without words.” He added that the G7 was “more united than ever” in the face of the war.

“We are fighting against Russian genocide against Ukraine,” Nebrat said. “We are fighting for freedom, for our families.”

The ambassadors of EU and allied countries gathered together to fly the Ukrainian flag at the end of the event.