An SNP MSP has apologised after she was accused of comparing Ukraine's battle to repel Russian troops from its borders to the campaign for Scottish independence.
Michelle Thomson was branded "shockingly insensitive" after she shared a Tweet on a Ukrainian bid to join the European Union with the message "Just goes to show what political will can achieve. Remember this Scotland!"
The Ukrainian president was last night pictured signing a formal application to Brussels which calls for his country to be granted immediate access to the EU in response to the Russian invasion.
Thomson, who was elected MSP for Falkirk East at last year's Holyrood election, then shared it an hour later.
She later deleted it following a backlash and posted: “I noted and then tweeted something earlier that was insensitive regarding Ukraine. Like everyone, my first thoughts are sympathy for the people there.
"Apologies if I offended anyone."
Labour councillor Kirsteen Sullivan replied on Twitter: "I don’t think the Ukrainian people are ‘delighted’ as they try to survive, hour by hour, not knowing if they will see loved ones again.
"What a crass thing to tweet to try make a cheap political point, there’s no ‘if’ about it."
Tory MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston said: "Shockingly insensitive. What is wrong with these people?"
Stephen Kerr, the Tory chief whip at Holyrood, claimed Thomson “modelling a breakup of the UK on Putin’s invasion of Ukraine” was “not normal behaviour for a political party”.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine's president, shared an image of himself flanked by Denys Shmyhal, his prime minister, and Ruslan Stefanchuk, chairman of the Ukrainian parliament, as he signed the document.
Zelensky wrote on Facebook: "Today I signed an application for Ukraine's membership in the European Union. Pretty sure this is real."
The application to the EU was largely symbolic and the process could take years,.
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