Ukraine has strongly condemned the decision of the Nobel Foundation to invite Russian and Belarusian diplomats to Stockholm's Nobel Prize banquet this year.

Oleh Nikolenko, the spokesperson for Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed his disagreement on Facebook, attributing the Nobel Foundation's decision to a desire to directly convey its values even to those countries that oppose them. However, he emphasised the futility of such actions.

"Most likely, on the day when the Russian ambassador sits in a fine suit in the Stockholm concert hall, the Russian army will be committing new war crimes in the occupied Ukrainian territories. Russian missiles will be destroying more residential quarters in Ukrainian cities," Nikolenko pointed out.

According to him, the Kremlin is likely to respond to such a decision by furthering its sense of impunity and committing new crimes.

"Last year, the Nobel Foundation did not invite Russian and Belarusian ambassadors in response to Russian aggression against Ukraine. As long as it continues, as long as millions of Ukrainians suffer from unprovoked war, and as long as the Russian leadership goes unpunished for its crimes, we call on the organising committee to support international efforts to isolate Russia and Belarus," Nikolenko added.

Earlier, the Nobel Foundation announced its intention to invite diplomats from all countries that are diplomatically represented in Sweden and Norway, including Russia and Belarus, to its Nobel Prize award ceremony in Stockholm, unlike last year when representatives of the Russian and Belarusian embassies were not invited.

Five out of six Nobel Prizes are presented annually in Stockholm after a secretive nomination process kept confidential for the subsequent 50 years. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, where separate ceremonies take place.

This year's laureates will be announced in early October. The award ceremonies will take place on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death.