Despite security concerns of Russia, its aggression against Ukraine cannot be condoned: Pak Army Chief

Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Bajwa on Saturday said despite legitimate security concerns of Russia, its aggression against a smaller country cannot be condoned.

While speaking at the Islamabad Security Dialogue, General Bajwa stated that Russia's invasion of Ukraine must be "stopped immediately" and termed the ordeal a great tragedy, reported Dawn.

"Pakistan has consistently called for an immediate ceasefire and cessation of hostilities. We support immediate dialogue between all sides to find a lasting solution to the conflict," he added.

Touching upon the relations that Pakistan has with both countries, Bajwa noted that Pakistan had enjoyed excellent defence and economic relationships with Ukraine since its independence but relations with Russia were "cold" for a long time because of numerous reasons.

"I believe the world today is built by those who believe in cooperation, respect, and equality, instead of division, war-mongering, and dominance," he added.

Moreover, referring to the relations with the US, Bajwa highlighted, "Pakistan does not believe in camp politics and our bilateral relations with our partners are not at the expense of our relationships with other countries," reported the newspaper.

( With inputs from ANI )