We cannot forgive Russian terrorism, Ukrainian consul tells MSPs

Russia is a "terrorist country" led by a "war criminal", MSPs have been told.

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, Andrii Madzianovskyi, Ukraine's consul in Scotland, questioned how his country can "forgive" the deaths of its people.

And, after US and Russian delegations met in Saudi Arabia,  he said his country must be at the negotiating table in talks about its future.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet US president Donald Trump at the White House later today, and wants an American security guarantee to deter Russia's Vladimir Putin from invading again.

Trump, who will meet Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday to tie-up a deal on sharing Ukrainian mineral resources, has said Europe should provide that security guarantee.

Madzianovskyi said "geopolitical obstacles" would not scupper Ukraine's "journey to victory".

And, thanking the UK Government for its defence support, he said: "We remember every bullet and every arm that has been allocated to Ukraine. Britain has given the most.

"One of the most notable things is the way that Britain has exerted itself and has shown itself in the last couple of days, its leadership, when it has mattered most."

It has been three years since the invasion of Ukraine and some 30,000 Ukrainians have come to Scotland.

Appearing before Holyrood's Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee, Madzianovskyi said that while some see a long-term future here, others have struggled to find jobs that use their qualifications and many wish to return to Ukraine, where they will be needed in rebuilding efforts after the conflict.

He described the Scottish super-sponsorship programme as "one of the most effective in Europe" which provides access to a "world-class education" for students, but said a lack of acceptance for Ukrainian qualifications had forced teachers, medics and engineers into lower-qualified jobs.

Praising the Edinburgh-based charity Dnipro Kids, which brought 50 children from orphanages to safety in Scotland, Madzianovskyi said those involved "have become Ukrainian heroes", comparing their actions to "something out of a fairytale".

Zelensky's meeting with Trump on Friday comes after the US president called him a "dictator" and follows an election campaign in which the American leader pledged an end to the supply of aid worth billions of dollars to Ukraine.

The US sought mineral wealth worth £395bn, but reports suggest that this has now been dropped and the details of the bilateral agreement are yet to be made public.

SNP depute leader Keith Brown said "international solidarity with Ukraine is now being monetised like a protection racket - "we will defend you if you give us money"'.

Madzianovskyi did not address that point, but said he and his country remained "optimistic".

Emphasising the need for continued diplomatic efforts along with sanctions and arms, he told MSPs: "We are at the front line and that is the only way out.

"We have lost 600 children in this war. How can we ever forgive that? How can we ever retreat after that? We have 12,000 civilian casualties that we have lost. How can we ever forgive that?

"In memory of all of these people and the memory of our fallen soldiers, that is what puts us on the path to continue. However, without you, that path is extremely difficult."