PRESS RELEASE : Andriy Yermak held a video call with members of the US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee [September 2022]
The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 22 September 2022.
Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak held a meeting in the format of a video conference with members of the US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee.
The event was also attended by Deputy Heads of the Office of the President Roman Mashovets, Andriy Smyrnov, Andriy Sybiha and Ihor Zhovkva, Head of the Servant of the People faction in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Davyd Arakhamia, Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine Oleksandr Lytvynenko.
At first, Andriy Yermak expressed great gratitude for all the help that Ukraine has been receiving from the United States since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion.
“We feel this support from the entire American people. And I want to thank you, as members of Congress, for making very important decisions that help us fight,” he emphasized.
He also recalled that a very important and joyful event took place on September 21, when 215 defenders of Ukraine, including two Americans, were released from Russian captivity.
“And I hope that the American citizens who fought for Ukraine will return to their families very soon,” said the Head of the President’s Office.
Andriy Yermak informed the congressmen about the situation at the front and the recent success of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which was achieved thanks to the heroism and professionalism of the Ukrainian military, as well as the armed assistance of Ukraine’s partners.
According to him, the decisions made yesterday by the leadership of the Russian Federation will not affect Ukraine’s plans in any way.
“The mobilization announced in the Russian Federation is designed to add “cannon fodder” to the group of more than 170,000 troops on the territory of Ukraine,” said the Head of the Office of the President.
Andriy Yermak emphasized that against the background of this decree of the Russian president, the urgency of continuing and strengthening aid from the US is only growing. He reminded that for the most effective coordination of these processes, a very close interaction has been established between the military and political leadership of Ukraine and the US, partners are constantly informed about the situation at the front and the use of the provided weapons.
Deputy Head of the Office of the President Roman Mashovets informed the congressmen about the urgent needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in terms of weapons and military equipment.
For his part, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Smyrnov spoke about the initiative of the Ukrainian side regarding the creation of a special tribunal regarding the crime of aggression against Ukraine.
He believes that the support of this idea from the United States, as one of the leaders of the democratic world, and American congressmen in particular, is very important.
“The creation of such a tribunal is no longer a matter of war in Ukraine, it is a matter of the existence of the entire civilized world, democracy and global security architecture. And we really need the voice of the United States in the matter of establishing such a mechanism,” Andriy Smyrnov noted.
Chairman of the US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee Adam Smith thanked the Ukrainian party for all the information provided. He also noted the importance of holding Russia to account for the crimes committed during this war.
