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PRESS RELEASE : Ukrainian servicemen in Mariupol are not ready to leave their wounded and dead brothers-in-arms in the city – President

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 27 March 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the defenders of Mariupol had a choice to leave the city and save their lives, but they did not want to leave their wounded brothers-in-arms and the bodies of the dead there. The Head of State spoke about this in an interview for Russian media from “Zygar” YouTube channel, “Rain” TV channel, “Meduza” portal, “Kommersant” and “Novaya Gazeta”.

“There are our troops inside (the city of Mariupol – ed.). Where Russian troops can enter, they have entered. They did not enter certain parts of the city. Because there are our men who refused to leave despite their appeals,” he said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he regularly communicates with the defenders of Mariupol and members of their families.

“Every two days I get in touch for sure… I also told them that I understand everything, we will definitely come back, but if you feel that you need to leave and you feel that it is right and that you can survive, do it. I understand what it looks like for the military, but do it. I gave them that choice. And they said: we can’t, the wounded are here, we will not leave the wounded. Moreover, they said they would not leave the dead,” the President said.

The Head of State also said that there was an attempt to agree with the Russian side on the removal of the bodies of killed soldiers and civilians lying in the open air, but such removal was not allowed.

“The reality is that the city is blocked by the Russian military, all entrances and exits from Mariupol are blocked, the port is mined. The humanitarian catastrophe in the city is obvious. Because food, medicine, and water can’t be delivered. The Russian troops are shelling humanitarian convoys and killing drivers,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

According to him, due to the shelling, many humanitarian convoys returned without reaching Mariupol.

The President also confirmed that in the framework of the agreements, people were leaving the city using civilian transport, but Russia also organized the forcible removal of Mariupol residents to the occupied territories.

“According to our data, more than 2,000 children were deported. Which means they were abducted. Because we do not know the exact locations of all these children. There were children with and without parents. It’s a catastrophe, it’s horrible,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to him, these people are being taken by the Russian side to replenish the “exchange fund”.

26/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Volodymyr Zelenskyy – Ukraine is ready to exchange Russian prisoners of war, but it seems that the Russian side is not very interested in it

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 27 March 2022.

The Ukrainian side is ready to exchange Russian prisoners of war for Ukrainian prisoners of war before the end of hostilities. This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview for Russian media from “Zygar” YouTube channel, “Rain” TV channel, “Meduza” portal, “Kommersant” and “Novaya Gazeta”.

“Lists are being compiled. Our military, I know, made lists. There are lists of all those who are in captivity. I don’t know if everyone is interested in them. Politicians, I think, are not very interested in them. I’m just not sure that the Russian side needs these lists,” the Head of State said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that he stood for exchanging prisoners of war without waiting for the end of the war.

“It is not necessary to act according to some generally accepted canons: like let’s wait until the end of the war, or let’s capture more… I do not understand that. I believe that there is an agreement to exchange everyone for everyone, we have this number – let’s exchange for this number. Let’s not measure: 10 for 10, 11 for 11,” the President said.

He also noted that Ukraine does not want to leave the corpses of Russian soldiers on its territory, but wants to hand them over to the relatives of the dead.

“They (the Russian side – ed.) first refused, then offered us some bags… It all looks like… You know, even when a dog or a cat dies, people don’t do so. These are garbage bags. I don’t understand what people think, what the parents of these children think,” the President said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that for him, as the President of a warring country, such an attitude is unacceptable even towards soldiers of an enemy state.

“It’s not cattle. And why is it dreadful? Because if this is the attitude towards their own people, then what is the attitude towards everyone else? And we are definitely not “friends” for the Russian government,” he concluded.

26/08/2022
Steve Barclay – 2022 Statement on Opening of 50 New Surgical Hubs

The statement made by Steve Barclay, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 26 August 2022.

Yesterday I visited Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, where staff have significantly ramped up the number of cataract operations they can do in a single week – thanks to two of the 91 surgical hubs that are already enabling our NHS to carry out more operations quickly and efficiently under one roof.

I want to reassure Times readers who are waiting for vital operations, or have a friend or loved one who is, that we are taking action. Today, I announced that hundreds of thousands of people across the country will benefit from more than 50 new surgical hubs, backed by £1.5 billion of government funding, to help us bust the Covid backlog.

So far, locations for 16 of these new hubs have been confirmed and existing hubs are being expanded with new facilities. Bids for the remaining hubs will be considered over the coming weeks and months.

From the Midlands to the South West, these new hubs will be located on existing hospital sites, speeding up the waiting times for common operations such as cataract surgeries and hip replacements that make up a large part of the waiting list.

For example, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is using its surgical hubs to reduce the length of time that patients undergoing hip and knee replacements stay in hospital by about two days — meaning more people can recover in the comfort of their own home the day after surgery.

Crucially, these new surgical hubs will deliver almost two million extra routine operations over the next three years – expanding on the progress we are already making.

Thanks to the hard work of NHS staff, waits of over two years for routine treatment have already been virtually eliminated, the first target set out in our elective recovery plan. There has also been a drop of almost one third in people waiting 18 months or more for care since January.

These new hubs will help us maintain this momentum and ensure more people can access life-changing operations more quickly.

26/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Over 50 new surgical hubs set to open across England
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 26 August 2022.
- Over 50 new surgical hubs will provide at least 100 more operating theatres and 1,000 more beds to deliver millions more operations
- These beds and theatres will help reduce waiting times and offer patients access to vital operations
- Beds will be ring fenced for planned operations, reducing the risk of short-notice cancellations
Over 50 new surgical hubs will open across the country to help bust the Covid backlogs and offer hundreds of thousands more patients quicker access to vital procedures, the Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay has announced today.

These hubs will provide at least 100 more operating theatres and over 1,000 beds so people get the surgery they need. They will deliver almost two million extra routine operations to reduce waiting lists over the next three years, backed by £1.5 billion in government funding. This breaks down to over 200,000 extra procedures in 2022-23, over 700,000 extra procedures in 2023-24, and one million extra procedures by 2024-25.

They will focus mainly on providing high volume low complexity surgery, as previously recommended by the Royal College of Surgeons of England, with particular emphasis on ophthalmology, general surgery, trauma and orthopaedics (including spinal surgery), gynaecology, ear nose and throat, and urology.

Located on existing hospital sites, surgical hubs bring together skills and expertise of staff under one roof – reducing waiting times for some of the most common procedures such as cataract surgeries and hip replacements. These operations can be performed quickly and effectively in one place. Improving quality and efficiency will mean patients have shorter waits for surgery, will be more likely to go home on the same day, and will be less likely to need additional treatment after surgery.

As the hubs are separated from emergency services, surgical beds are kept free for patients waiting for planned operations, reducing the risk of short-notice cancellations and improving infection control.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

“In order to bust the Covid backlogs and keep pace with future demands, we can’t simply have business as usual. Surgical hubs are a really tangible example of how we are already innovating and expanding capacity to fill surgical gaps right across the country, to boost the number of operations and reduce waiting times for vital procedures.

We have already made progress in tackling the longest waiting lists to offer patients quicker access to treatment, and these new surgical hubs will in their own right deliver additional operations over the next three years, including over 200,000 this year alone.”

NHS chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, said:

“Surgical hubs are a vital part of plans to recover elective services across England and these new sites will be a welcome boost in helping us to further tackle the covid-19 backlogs that have inevitably built up over the pandemic.

The NHS has made significant progress already, virtually eliminating two year waits for care by the end of July and from surgical hubs to robotic surgery, our staff continue to find innovative ways to speed up care for patients.”

The hubs will also help address variation in performance between trusts, as they are required to meet national standards on numbers of operations, the full use of theatre facilities, and ensuring patients are discharged on the same day as their operation. All of this will help to drive up performance across the country.

The government has worked with the NHS to identify which areas will benefit most from surgical hubs. The selection process for surgical hub locations is clinically led and aims to ensure the new hubs are connected to the right local services – such as acute hospital sites – and tackle local healthcare inequalities while promoting the best outcomes for patients and delivering value for taxpayers.

So far, locations for 20 new or expanded hubs have already been confirmed, and bids for the remaining hubs are set to be considered over the coming weeks and months as more business cases are received to determine the new sites meet design standards.

The new hubs will offer a mix of outpatient and admitted (including overnight or day case) surgeries, delivering nearly two million additional procedures over the next three years, equal to 12% of all elective activity in 2019/20. They will encourage the most efficient forms of surgeries, ensuring that fewer patients are kept overnight and saving more time to carry out additional operations.

Currently, 91 surgical hubs have already been opened, meaning that in total more than 140 hubs will be open across England by 2024/25. This includes:
- The South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre contains five state-of-the-art operating theatres and accepts patients from all over the UK. It performs approximately 5,200 procedures a year, 3,000 of which are joint replacements.
- Another hub at the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has increased surgical capacity by 25%, with improvement plans now in place to significantly reduce cancellations.
- United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has cut down the length of stay for patients undergoing hip and knee replacements, resulting in an average reduction of two days and allowing more people to go home the day after surgery.
The government has committed £5.9 billion in capital investment to support elective recovery in the coming years. Along with surgical hubs, the NHS is changing the way diagnostic services are delivered by opening over 90 community diagnostic centres across the country in locations such as football stadiums and shopping centres.

They have already delivered over 1.6 million checks, tests and scans, offering patients a range of healthcare services closer to home. By 2025, up to 160 will be up and running.

Thanks to these innovative approaches, significant progress has already been made in tackling waiting lists. Earlier this month, the NHS announced that waits of over two years for routine treatment have been virtually eliminated, except where patients chose to wait longer, did not want to travel to be seen faster, or for very complex cases requiring specialist treatment.

This was the first target set out in the Elective Recovery Plan in February and NHS staff continue to make progress on reducing long waits – with a drop of almost one third in people waiting 18 months or more for care since January.
26/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : PM call with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 25 August 2022.

The Prime Minister spoke to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi this afternoon, to welcome the cooperation between the UK and Egypt during his premiership and discuss ways to further boost the relationship between our countries.

The leaders highlighted increased trade, business and education links, including the creation of the UK-Egypt Investment Council and new investment opportunities in Egypt.

They also welcomed our countries’ close defence and security cooperation, and the Prime Minister thanked President Sisi for his role in helping to get grain out of Ukraine’s ports and on route to countries facing desperate food shortages as a result of Russia’s blockade.

The Prime Minister and President Sisi discussed resolving the consular case of Alaa Abdel Fattah, and the Prime Minister expressed his hope for swift and positive progress on the issue.

The leaders also looked ahead to the UK handing over the COP Presidency to Egypt at COP27 in November, emphasising the importance of driving forward the transformative action on climate change agreed in Glasgow last year.

26/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : The situation on the ground demonstrates the urgent need to make progress towards a Two State Solution

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 August 2022.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East.

Thank you President. I join others in thanking Mr Wennesland, Mr Lazzarini and Mr Levy for their valuable briefings today.

Let me start by welcoming the two-year anniversary of the Abraham Accords this month. The Abraham Accords are a historic milestone that bring us closer to the goal of shared prosperity and peace throughout the region.

President,

As we stated at the emergency session on 8 August, the UK welcomes the ceasefire in Gaza and we reiterate our calls for the parties to make every effort to sustain it. It is critical that humanitarian access in and out of Gaza is ensured, in accordance with International Humanitarian Law.

We were appalled by the terrorist attack in Jerusalem on 13 August. The UK unequivocally condemns any and all acts of terrorism. Our thoughts are with the victims and families of those affected. We reiterate our unwavering commitment to Israel’s security. This conflict has taken a terrible toll on both sides. We are concerned at the record number of Palestinians killed by Israeli security forces this year and urge Israel to show restraint in the use of live ammunition and to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation into all fatalities.

President,

We have been clear about our concern over the Israeli government’s decision last year to designate six Palestinian NGOs as terrorist organisations. The subsequent raids on the offices of seven Palestinian NGOs, and arrests of their staff, are equally concerning. Civil society organisations play an important role in upholding human rights and democracy and they must be able to operate freely in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We continue to engage with a number of these organisations.

President,

We call on the Israeli authorities to halt plans to advance evictions at Khan Al Ahmar and on the E1 settlement plan. Advancing E1 would seriously hinder a two-state solution. Settlements are contrary to International Humanitarian Law.

This month we also saw demolition orders issued in Masafer Yatta and against a donor-funded school in Ein Samiya. Such demolitions cause unnecessary suffering and in all but exceptional circumstances are contrary to international law.

The UK is a long-standing supporter of UNRWA for the vital role they play in providing core services and humanitarian and protection assistance to Palestinian refugees across the region. We were pleased to announce at the pledging conference in June that we have agreed a new multi-year funding agreement with UNRWA and will provide £15m this year.

The situation on the ground demonstrates the urgent need to make progress towards a Two State Solution that ensures a safe and secure Israel, living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state based on 1967 lines, with Jerusalem the shared capital of both states. The UK remains committed to working with all parties to reduce tensions and take steps towards a sustainable peace.

26/08/2022
Nadhim Zahawi – 2022 Comments on Cost of Living Support

The comments made by Nadhim Zahawi, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 25 August 2022.

I know people are really concerned by rising prices so I’m glad that over a million more low earners will shortly receive their first Cost of Living Payment. We are also preparing options for further support so the new Prime Minister can hit the ground running.

Alongside £400 off most people’s energy bills, tax cuts and the Household Support Fund, these direct payments are a very important part of our £37 billion package of help for households, which is targeted at those who need it most.

26/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a video conference with Andrzej Duda

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 26 March 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda held a video conference. The President of Ukraine thanked his Polish counterpart for sheltering Ukrainian refugees.

Andrzej Duda said that as of now, Poland has sheltered 2.3 million Ukrainians. According to him, the country provides them with everything they need.

The presidents and representatives of their offices discussed the functioning of Ukraine’s energy system in Europe’s single energy network. The energy ministers of the two countries were instructed to continue consultations after the talks.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated the need to prevent shelling of Ukrainian cities from the air. The President of Ukraine expressed disappointment that Soviet-made aircraft available in Eastern European countries, in particular Poland, have not yet been handed over to our state. Although both these countries and the United States have publicly stated their readiness to make such a decision.

“The price of delay with planes is thousands of lives of Ukrainians, which we are losing from missile and air strikes on peaceful Ukrainian cities,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

According to him, aircraft, tanks and long-range air defense systems would allow Ukraine to really defend freedom throughout our territory and drastically change the course of hostilities.

“If the partners do not help Ukraine with planes and tanks, and they have such opportunities, there is a high risk that Russian troops will pose not only a missile threat to the territory of our neighbors – friendly Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and the Baltic States, but also direct general military threat. On their borders, near their cities. And they will go further,” the Ukrainian Head of State said.

As the conversation between the Presidents was coming to an end, Lviv was hit by Russian missiles. Lviv is located 50 kilometers from the Polish border.

After the conversation, Volodymyr Zelenskyy contacted the defenders of Mariupol who also said that the city was under devastating airstrikes. Nevertheless, the military assured that they are determined to defend Mariupol.

25/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Ukraine insists on a system of security guarantees – Mykhailo Podolyak

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 26 March 2022.

One of the key elements of the negotiations on ending the aggressive war launched by the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine is the creation of a system of clear and reliable security guarantees for our state. This was stated by Advisor to the Head of the President’s Office Mykhailo Podolyak in an interview for the German media Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

“Ukraine insists on a system of security guarantees, which will include countries that are ready to provide these guarantees, including in the military sense. Many other things depend on it,” he stressed.

According to Mykhailo Podolyak, such a system of guarantees is impossible without the participation of the United States of America in the first place.

The Advisor to the Head of the President’s Office noted that there is some progress in the negotiations with the Russian side in the working subgroups, but in general the progress is not yet what the Ukrainian side would like it to be.

He also stressed that Ukraine would not exchange situational success for global security instruments.

“The Russian side likes to organize a “leak” of some information, some versions of the talks in the media, hoping that in our country, where there is an open discussion, there will be speculation, emotions and conflicts,” said Mykhailo Podolyak.

According to him, the issue of territorial integrity is extremely important for our state. Therefore, such a difficult issue as the future of the temporarily occupied Crimea and ORDLO should be decided only by the Presidents of Ukraine and Russia.

The Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President believes that the peace talks will begin to yield fruit when Russia realizes that it will suffer more losses from the continuation of this war than Ukraine.

“For this to happen, we need effective operation of our army. And this requires that our partners adequately help us. If you do not want to make a no-fly zone, give us air defense systems so that we can close the skies ourselves, so that our peaceful cities are not bombed. Second, give us weapons to unblock cities like Mariupol. Third, sanctions such as the oil embargo, maximum restrictions on financial transactions, etc. are needed,” Mykhailo Podolyak explained.

25/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : President awarded the National Guard soldiers who distinguished themselves in battles with the Russian aggressor

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 26 March 2022.

On the Day of the National Guard of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the NGU servicemen who showed personal courage and dedication in repelling the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against our state.

“I want to thank everyone for your service. For your work, for protecting our territorial integrity, sovereignty, all our families,” he said.

“Please take care of yourself, take care of your families, take care of your children’s health. All this is important and will be needed for us, for our future, which we are building and will build together with you,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy added, presenting the awards.

In particular, the award was received by:

NGU soldier Andriy Yesaultsev who showed courage during the evacuation of personnel from Antonov Airport.

Major Oleksandr Solonko who defended Kyiv Airport and, despite heavy rocket fire from the enemy, kept the defense and destroyed an enemy sabotage and reconnaissance group. During the battle, Oleksandr Solonko captured five saboteurs.

Soldier Roman Bereza who showed courage during the fire contact with the paratroopers of the aggressor who fired at the military unit.

Senior Lieutenant of the medical service Maryna Riazantseva who came under mortar fire from the occupiers near the village of Horenka, as a result of which a battle broke out with an enemy sabotage and reconnaissance group. As a result of the projectile explosion, Maryna Riazantseva was shell shocked, but despite the pain continued to provide medical care to the wounded soldiers and evacuate them during the enemy shelling.

Senior Sergeant Makym Tkach who saved the battle flag during the withdrawal of personnel from the location of the military unit.

In addition, the Head of State conferred the military rank of Brigadier General upon Colonels of the National Guard Volodymyr Barziuk, Oleksandr Biletsky, Oleksandr Bilous, Vitaliy Kozaletov and Kostiantyn Pletko.

25/08/2022