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Theresa May – 2002 Speech to Conservative Spring Forum

The speech made by Theresa May at the Conservative Spring Forum on 23 March 2002.

I’m delighted to be responding to this session at the Spring Forum – and my goodness haven’t we heard some exciting examples of how Conservatives have been working to improve their local communities – making life better in your areas.

Over the next few weeks we all have the opportunity in the local government elections to take the message we have heard today out onto the streets and show people that up and down the country it is Conservatives who are listening to their concerns and worries, it is Conservatives that are recognising the problems in their local communities and it is Conservatives who are delivering practical solutions that meet people’s needs.

The Conservative Party is the party that listens, that cares and that delivers – delivers for all in society, from Bromley to Bradford, from Cambridgeshire to Calderdale.

Local authorities are responsible for a wide range of services that directly affect people’s everyday quality of life and often it is the most vulnerable in our society who depend on them most.

Good local government is about improving people’s quality of life – about making life better.

Just think about the impact a council has on people’s day-to-day life – imagine someone walking out of their front door. Has the uneven pavement been mended? Is the street clean or full of litter? Has the rubbish been properly collected? Do the street lights work?

Have the potholes in the road been repaired? Has the traffic got worse since the council gave permission for that new development on the outskirts of the town? Why did they bring in that one-way system? And now of course the primary school’s full. Mrs Smith next door is worried because her husband’s still in hospital – they simply can’t get him anywhere in a care home locally because they’re all closing.

To find answers to these problems – to make life better – councillors need to have the freedom and flexibility to make decisions that suit their local area.

Today that power has been taken away in so many ways. This Labour Government has increased centralisation, increased bureaucracy and increased the regulations local councils have to cope with.

Now I accept that previous Conservative governments do not have a blameless record in their approach to local government. But what started as an attempt by central government to protect people from the worst excesses of bad local councils has now, under Labour, been made a means of control, a tool for imposing Westminster’s priorities over local priorities.

In 1997 just over 4% of a council’s funding was ring-fenced today, it is 15%. And that’s without counting the money that’s spent on the extra bureaucracy and regulations imposed from Whitehall.

Central government telling councils how to spend your money.

Today, local authorities are judged against close to 150 performance indicators and must agree up to 66 plans with central government. Such burdens waste money and distort priorities. 66 plans – don’t tell me they’re a tool for better government – it’s just increased bureaucracy and a way of the centre exercising control.

And when it comes to regulations just look at the impact of the directive on fridges – enormous cost to local authorities and the risk of fridges abandoned in our streets and lanes. Abandoned cars will be next and then other white goods.

And against this background of red tape and central control Gordon Brown has made council tax a stealth tax .

Every year since Labour came to power they have promised that there was no need for large increases in council tax and every year council tax has gone up by three times the rate of inflation.

This year the average increase is 8.3% – more than four times the rate of inflation.

What’s more the government has slowly increased the amount of council’s funding that has to be paid through council tax – from 23% in 1997 to 27% today.

People are on average paying nearly £300 more on a Band D property than when Labour came into power.

Conservative councils are still showing that they can charge less council tax and deliver quality services.

How many of the top 20 councils charging the highest council tax are Conservative – none.

Looking at Band D properties, this year across every tier of local government Conservative councils cost less than Labour or LibDem councils.

In unitary authorities Conservative councils cost £132 a year less than Lib Dem councils.

In London Conservative councils cost £313 less than Labour councils.

On average across all types of council Conservative councils cost £135 less than Labour councils and £159 less than Lib Dem councils.

And which council costs most of all – Tony Blair’s own back-yard yes, Sedgefield where for Band D local people pay almost £1,200 a year.

Increases well over inflation and shifting the burden to the council taxpayer – yet another stealth tax.

A stealth tax that hits hardest on some of the most vulnerable in society like the elderly living on fixed incomes.

More red tape, more paperwork, higher cost, less freedom that’s the impact of Labour on local government.

The other day Stephen Byers department announced that government would streamline and rationalise the 66 plans they require from councils. Do you believe Stephen Byers – I certainly don’t.

Remember the three big lies – (the cheque’s in the post, Darling I still love you, and Trust me I’m Stephen Byers).

What better advert for New Labour could there be?

You can’t trust him on transport, you can’t trust him on local government and you can’t trust him on planning.

Just look at what he is promising to do.

He’s going to grade councils as high performing, coasting, striving or poor performing, but they will be judged not by whether they are doing what people want, but by whether they are doing what the government wants.

He’s going to introduce a new tier of regional politicians. That means he’s going to abolish county councils and have to restructure district councils at an estimated cost of £2bn – how many care home places could that fund.

He’s heaping yet more regulation and bureaucracy on parish and town councils including a code of conduct that means parish councillors, the unpaid volunteer backbone of our rural communities, have to declare not just their interests, but the interests of their relations, including would you believe it their nephew’s partner.

Little wonder parish councillors are threatening to resign across the country.

And on planning he’s going to bring in a new system that will increase bureaucracy for business, reduce the voice of local communities and bring in a betterment tax that will particularly hit small local firms.

In the annals of incompetent government Stephen Byers is a serial offender.

From the Post Office to PPP on the Tube, from increased rights for trade unions to reduced rights for local communities on planning, from Rover to Railtrack, Byers bungles cost us all dear.

But this Government’s interference and centralisation doesn’t just increase the paperwork in the town hall. It erodes local democracy so fewer people vote and it damages the effective delivery of public services and the ability of local councillors to respond to the needs of their local community.

The Department for Transport Local Government and the Regions is what I call the quality of life department because with transport and local government together it is responsible for the things that so often make the difference between having a good or a bad day.

And across the country it is Conservative councils who are making the difference in their areas.

Just think about the problems we all face in our day to day lives.

What is number one concern for many people today – crime or the fear of crime.

Kent and Westminster have recognised this and delivered for local people.

Kent County Council has introduced rural community wardens in partnership with Kent police. Westminster Council has launched a city guardian initiative to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour and breaches of public safety; and their CCTV van, staffed by trained council officers, has played a significant role in reducing levels of crime in parts of the Borough.

Conservative councils delivering for local people.

But fear of crime is also about the environment in which people live and work. Graffiti ridden streets increase the fear of crime and petty vandalism is often a first step in criminality. We believe that cleaning up our streets is an essential part of the war against crime.

West Oxfordshire District Council has introduced an Environmental Hit Squad to crack down on fly tipping and fly posting. Tandridge District Council brought in a successful graffiti clean up initiative, with a £500 reward for information on perpetrators. Wandsworth Council doubled the number of litter bins on local streets all of which are emptied at least once a day and has a team of uniformed investigators who patrol the Borough enforcing laws on litter, fly-tipping and dog fouling.

Conservative Councils delivering for local people.

People get fed up being held up in traffic jams on the way to work – we all know how much better the roads are in the school holidays so getting school transport right matters. That’s why Runnymede Borough Council has introduced yellow school buses and Surrey County Council is soon to launch its Pegasus project for school transport for primary schools.

Conservative Councils delivering for local people.

People want their children to have the best start in life with a good education. Calderdale Council recognised this and has one of the most improved set of academic results at 16 years across the whole country.

East Sussex saw the need for a new university locally – it’s just been given the go-ahead and the first students will start in Hastings University in autumn 2003.

Conservative Councils delivering for local people.

People also want to see deprived areas in their towns and cities being regenerated – so the quality of life of people who live there can be improved. In Bradford the council’s decision to establish a ground breaking Urban Regeneration Company was described as “the single best piece of news the district has had for many long years”. The Council is pushing forward re-development such as the Broadway shopping complex and the plans to transform the Odsal stadium site with a new stadium, leisure and retail development, cleaning up a former landfill site and creating hundreds of new jobs. What a pity Stephen Byers has called the Odsal application in for an inquiry.

A Conservative-led council delivering for local people.

And people worry about those whose lives need re-building. Kent County Council has launched its Dependency Reduction Programme – which aims to support and help people trapped in dependency to lift themselves back into independence, employment and a better quality of life.

A Conservative council delivering for local people.

These are examples of how Conservative councils listen to their local communities, care about the quality of life for local people and deliver to make life better.

But if that is what Conservatives in local government can achieve despite the imposition and burdens from the centre think what more good we could be doing for our local communities if councils had their freedom.

If local democracy is to mean anything then the power to say whether or not a council is doing well should rest with the voters in the ballot box. In stark contrast to Labour’s principle of ‘earned autonomy’ – we believe that all councils should be given freedom.

Of course it is right that there should be powers to intervene where a local authority is clearly failing in its duty, but this should be the exception and we should always presume freedom rather than regulation.

It is now almost five years since Labour were elected. Five years since their warm words of decentralisation – how they would ‘give back responsibility to local communities’, ‘take the shackles off local government’ and create ‘powerful new roles for all councillors’. Five years on, not only has this not happened, but in many cases, the reverse has been the case –and Stephen Byers Local Government White Paper promises more of the same.

Strong local government unburdened by impositions from the centre is essential to the quality of life and to re-building local democracy. Local authorities need to be able to recognise and respond to local needs, exercising community leadership and championing local interests.

This is our model of local government. A model built on our key principles as a party of freedom, choice and independence.

Unlike Labour we do not believe that Whitehall knows best. We believe in minimal state interference. We want to give people the opportunity to live their lives free from unnecessary and burdensome interference from the state. We want to see government taken down to the level where people can best exercise decision-making and choice.

So the Conservative Party is launching a policy review in local government that will re-define radically the relationship between central and local government.

We will roll back the intervention from the centre, remove regulations and restrictions on local government autonomy, reduce the amount of ring-fenced funding, cut the burdens imposed by central government, and revive local involvement in decision making.

We will be the party that gives power back to local councillors to make a real difference for their local communities.

Conservatives governing for the whole nation – the prosperous and the poor, the north and the south, the rural village, the suburban town and the urban inner city.

Together Conservatives will deliver community government making life better for all.

30/08/2022
Bernard Jenkin – 2002 Speech to Conservative Spring Forum

The speech made by Bernard Jenkin, the then Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, on 23 March 2002.

Recently I attended the Annual Dinner of the Armed Forces Parliamentary scheme – a scheme, which aims give MPs first hand experience of the armed forces. They put us in battle fatigues and take us out on exercise.

The Prime Minister graced the dinner with his imperial presence. Surprised to see me, he asked: ‘What are you doing here?’

I said, “Prime Minister, I want to learn about the armed forces. Soon I’ll know more than your Secretary of State.”

The Prime Minister put me down with a quip. ‘That’s not difficult!’

Think about that! That is a measure of the Prime Minister’s real confidence in the man responsible for the lives of our servicemen.

Under this Government, Britain is now committed to a series of open-ended deployments, putting further pressure on our already stretched armed forces. Mr Blair has been dotting them around the globe wherever it makes him feel good. We should not devalue the gold standard of our armed forces in this way.

Labour wants our Armed Forces to be a ‘force for good’, yet they have little understanding of what it takes to maintain the quality and readiness of the best armed forces in the world.

We should be making sure our commitments are matched by our capabilities – it is government’s responsibility to square that circle. You only get what you pay for. Over-committing our forces not only tries the patience of the armed services and their families. It erodes their essential fighting capability.

And look what they are doing to the front line. Britain’s defences are paying an increasingly intolerable price.

Incredibly, since British troops were first deployed to Afghanistan, Labour has announced a whole series of cuts.

· An entire Tornado air defence squadron – axed. The very same squadron put on standby after 11th September to defend the skies over London.

· The Royal Navy’s ENTIRE force of Sea Harriers– axed. These are same Harriers played a key part in winning back the Falklands. Until a few days ago, they were due to remain in service until 2015. This leaves the Navy with no airborne air defence.

· The axe is falling on Royal Navy ships.

HMS Fearless – withdrawn a year early:
HMS Sheffield – mothballed:
HMS Monmouth – stuck in dock because there is no money for her maintenance programme.

The army is 7,500 men short – but there is a new Labour solution to that; simply reduce the target size of the Army, so we need fewer men to meet that target – and that’s what they have done!

This week, the government announced that Britain is to send 1,700 Royal Marine Commandos to Afghanistan to fight in the war against terrorism. Let there be no doubt that we support the principle of this deployment. This is a very grave responsibility: our forces are the best – they deserve better leadership than this Labour Government.

Just look what Labour tried to do. They tried to make the announcement of the largest single deployment for combat operations since the Gulf War as though it was just routine.

Considering that this is arguably the most dangerous mission that our forces have taken on for 20 years, it is unbelievable that the Government should fail to offer Parliament the right to debate it fully.

That was not just a snub to Parliament, or even just a snub to the people Parliament represents. As Michael Portillo said during the debate:
‘when our soldiers are being put into such extreme danger, it is a grave discourtesy to them to suggest that the sacrifice that they offer the nation is not worth three hours of debate in Government time’ (Hansard 20 March 2002 Col 352)

4-5 Commando Royal Marines are undoubtedly some of the finest troops that anyone will find on this earth. They are trained in mountain warfare. They are ideally fitted to this task. And they know they must defeat our enemies—those who threaten our own people in our own country and the peoples of our friends and allies.

But it is not disloyal or unpatriotic for Parliament to require explanation. That is Parliament’s job – but we had to drag Defence Ministers to the House of Commons to answer concerns expressed from all sides of the House. And the Prime Minister was too busy fighting his own backbenchers about foxhunting, to turn up to a debate about committing to troops to action.

This episode says everything about Mr Blair’s real sense of priorities.

Iain Duncan Smith set his clear priority for defence last week. His paper, called A Race Against Time, explains how ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction are proliferating, and destabilising western security. He sets out why and how Britain must confront the growing missile threat. Few politicians in Europe understand the link between 11th September and the threat of weapons of mass destruction. This is why Britain should support the missile defence systems President Bush is offering Europe.

Instead of helping to galvanise other Governments in Europe to face up to the new threats and instabilities of the post cold war world, the Government’s post 11th September consultation paper on defence does not even mention the word ‘missile’! Labour continues to run scared from its CND MPs and activists.

This weekend Mr Hoon is in Spain at a meeting of EU defence ministers. What is his priority? He’s gone back to the EU’s defence agenda. Labour promised there was no such thing as a Euro Army. But this week the Spanish defence minister actually said:

‘We have formed, we are forming that European Army.’

Having championed the EU Defence Policy, they have lost control of the agenda. Too late will they realise that this EU Army is already dividing Europe from America. The Euro Army is a dagger pointing at the heart of NATO.

This debate, and the other debates we are hearing this weekend, underline that Labour is no longer fit for government. But we Conservatives have no automatic right to govern. We have to earn that right. Moreover, it is not our right, but our duty to ensure that we are not just ready for government at the next election, but that the British people really feel they have choice about where to put their vote.

We are the Party of choice. Together we must offer that choice.

30/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Government launches review of Civil Aviation Authority to strengthen regulator for the future
The press release issued by Department for Transport on 30 August 2022.
- UK aviation regulator to be reviewed as part of wider government programme looking into effectiveness and efficiency of public bodies
- led by an independent lead reviewer, the review will ensure the ongoing provision of a world-class service to the public and aviation industry
- areas of focus will be the organisation’s effectiveness, efficiency, accountability and governance
The government has today (30 August 2022) launched an independent review of the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to ensure the provision of world-leading regulation and public services for decades to come.

With a remit that includes everything from ensuring the highest standards of aviation safety and security, to the efficient use of airspace, space operations and protecting consumer rights, the Civil Aviation Authority is vital to the UK’s position as a world leader in aviation and aerospace.

Building on the organisation’s success in tackling the unprecedented challenges of recent years, the review will focus on:
- its efficiency and effectiveness in delivering its services currently, and for the future
- its role, form, function and delivery model
- the corporate governance and assurance mechanisms underpinning the organisation
- the CAA’s relationship with the Department for Transport and how the 2 organisations work together to deliver a quality service for the UK
- how its priorities match up to the government’s wider objectives, taking into consideration its role as an independent regulator
This year the regulator celebrated its 50th birthday and has played a key role in the aviation sector’s recovery, as set out in our 22-point action plan to help minimise disruption in the sector and protect passengers.

For years to come the regulator will also be crucial in ensuring the sector can modernise and innovate to meet the challenges of the future, while protecting consumer rights – as set out in our 10-year strategy Flightpath to the future.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:

Civil aviation regulation is the lynchpin of an industry which pre-pandemic carried millions of passengers every year, contributed £22 billion to our economy and supported nearly one million jobs.

This review will ensure UK civil aviation regulation continues to be world-leading on safety, security, environmental considerations, economic regulation and consumer protection – which often supports other countries in driving up global standards.

Sir Stephen Hillier, Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, said:

At the Civil Aviation Authority, we work tirelessly on our mission to achieve improvements in aviation and aerospace for consumers and the public.

We welcome the opportunity this review presents to highlight the dedication, skill and continuous learning culture of our organisation, whilst identifying any areas for improvement.

It will help ensure that we continue to be a diverse, innovative and future-focused regulator, dedicated to improving aviation safety, security and consumer interests and enabling a thriving aerospace sector.

We look forward to working in an open, transparent and collaborative way with government to support this review.

The review forms part of a wider programme looking at public bodies across government, announced in April this year.

It comes at a crucial time for the aviation industry as it continues its strong recovery from the pandemic and will also run in parallel, but entirely separate to, the International Civil Aviation Organisation safety audit due to take place.

Jeremy Newman, an independent panel member at the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, will lead the review, which will run until spring 2023.
30/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : President of Ukraine in Davos – There is no notion of distance for the occupation, the most important thing is to stop any aggressor from the very beginning

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 24 May 2022.

Today, Ukraine is fighting for freedom and independence, for the values of all mankind, so the countries of the free world must support our state so that their citizens do not have to face the horrors of war. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an online conversation at the Ukrainian House in Davos.

“Our task is to ensure that the world doesn’t get tired of war and keeps supporting Ukraine, because we are fighting for the values that people live by, the values they breathe like oxygen,” the President said.

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine expects support from the West, including the necessary defense and financial assistance, as well as strengthening sanctions against Russia.

“There is no notion of distance for the occupation, the most important thing is to stop any aggressor from the very beginning,” the President said.

“Ukraine is the first. It is on the border with Russia, which is going on the offensive today. If we fall, if Ukraine does not endure – Russia will move on. And then it will go to the Baltic states – Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia. These are small states that, even if the three of them unite, will not be able to protect those values. And then the military of NATO member states will have to come here. And in order for the military of NATO countries, your families, not to see what we see, you need to help Ukraine,” he explained.

The Head of State noted that almost 100 Ukrainian servicemen die every day in battles with the Russian aggressor, but the Russian authorities do not care how many of their soldiers died in this war, and they do not even think about burying them.

“We have tens of thousands of black packages with people who are not taken away by Russia. These are their soldiers,” the President of Ukraine said.

He told how he presented orders to the families of servicemen who were posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. According to him, there wasn’t happiness from receiving the award, but the tragedy and tears brought by the war in the eyes of the relatives of the Heroes.

“But we have no choice, because we did not start a war. We are on our own land, we have nowhere to go. And that’s why we are strong. And that’s why we’re united. That is why we are fighting for freedom. No one wants to lose their life, but people give their lives for the future. This banal phrase – they give their life for the sake of others – contains great pain, great suffering of the Ukrainian people and any people going through the war. That’s how wars end. And it is impossible to assess this pain,” the President is convinced.

According to him, this is not a war to the last Ukrainian, but “we simply do not have the right to give away the land and the people who live on this land.”

“Therefore, there will be a victory. Because this is our land, our people, we fight for them and pay a high price. There will definitely be a victory, because there is simply no other way out,” the Head of State is convinced.

The President stressed that without the wars for independence there can be no freedom and independence, and this should be remembered by the citizens of other free democracies, whose ancestors also fought bravely for the independence of their states.

“We need weapons and sanctions, and we give you freedom and independence for that. It seems to me that this is fair,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

30/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : We must integrate psychological support into all spheres of our lives – Olena Zelenska at the 75th World Health Assembly

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 23 May 2022.

Ukraine plans to set up a psychological assistance service to support war survivors. This was stated by First Lady Olena Zelenska during a speech at the 75th World Health Assembly, the highest governing body of the WHO.

“Yes, war is a tragedy. But we must find an opportunity to do good even in the midst of the horrors of war. Let us use this period as an opportunity to integrate psychological support into all areas of our peaceful life. I hope for your support. Let’s gain this victory together!” Olena Zelenska urged the attendees.

The President’s wife reminded that the WHO is committed to protecting the most crucial human rights – to life and health. These rights are currently being violated in Ukraine due to an armed attack by Russia.

“None of the Ukrainians, neither an adult nor a child, can be sure that they will wake up tomorrow. That the missile will not fly into his house. The doctor cannot be sure that his ambulance will not be bombed on the way to the patient. Today, there are health ministers from different countries. This is especially important because we cannot now ensure the life and health of Ukrainians on our own. And your countries are coming to our aid,” she said.

Olena Zelenska noted that the battles will end, every displaced Ukrainian will return, every family will be reunited, wounds will heal, and destroyed schools, orphanages and hospitals in Ukraine will be rebuilt. But the consequences of this war, unfortunately, will remain for years and decades. So today there is another task – the battle for the mental health of Ukrainian citizens.

After the things Ukrainians experienced in the occupation, at the front, in bomb shelters, under shelling, abroad, they need rehabilitation just as the physically wounded, the President’s wife is convinced.

That is why the Office of the First Lady, together with representatives of the Ukrainian government in cooperation with civil society and international partners, is already launching a nationwide initiative to enhance mental health and psychosocial support.

“We want to do it with you. Based on your best experience. We count on your expert support to build a truly efficient psychological care service in the world,” the President’s wife noted.

The First Lady expressed her sincere hopes that Ukraine would set an example of strengthening global support for the mental health and psychosocial well-being of war survivors. And it will do it quickly, so that “along with the victory in the war, we also gain this victory – over the grief, shock and stress of our citizens.”

30/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : After the victory, we must create conditions in Ukraine for both people and businesses to feel safe – President

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 23 May 2022.

After winning the war against Russia, Ukraine will become a powerful and safe state that will get rid of corruption and oligarchic influence and will be able to defend its territory and people. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy while participating in the online format in the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Answering the question of the moderator – founder of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab about the vision of the future of Ukraine, the Head of State stressed that today, as the leader of a country at war, he thinks more about the present and losses in the war. He added that Ukraine pays dearly for freedom, independence and struggle.

At the same time, the President expressed conviction that our state will definitely win, as the Ukrainian people and army have already shown their strength and courage.

“It will be a strong state with concrete security priorities. We understand that anything can happen at any moment with such a neighbor, and, unfortunately, there can be war. The war may be repeated. I am convinced that we must create conditions so that people and businesses are not afraid to develop in our country,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The President stressed that the territory of Ukraine is large, so a solid system of defense must be created.

“Our task is to establish the most advanced air defense system, the most advanced multisystem of security. Our goal is to have a security treaty with other countries that we trust and consider partners. This treaty must be full-fledged, preferably ratified by the parliaments of the strategic partner countries. So that any chances of the aggressor for the future invasion will be eliminated before entering our land,” the Head of State emphasized.

According to the Head of State, the security of both people and business must be guaranteed in Ukraine.

“We do not intend to revive certain corruption steps, corrupt institutions, oligarchic influence. All this will not be the case in Ukraine. And none of this is there now. Exactly such a state – powerful, popular, technological and safe, ready to defend its land and people at any moment,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy summed up.

30/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : At the forum in Davos, Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed to create an organization that would prevent hunger in the world

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 23 May 2022.

Ukraine proposes to create an organization of food-exporting states which would serve as a tool to combat hunger on the planet. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

“Any response to the mass famine is overdue by definition. The famine should be stopped only preventively – when it has not yet begun. But now there is no such tool in the world. We propose to create an organization of responsible and democratic food-exporting states that can act with respect for human rights and global trade rules,” he said.

According to the Head of State, no matter what the turning points in history, humanity must have insurance against hunger.

“And Ukraine is ready to provide a platform for the activities of such a new organization – a definitely needed one,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted.

Answering the questions of the moderator – founder of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab, the President called on the international community to help Ukraine unblock ports to avoid the global food crisis.

“You should know that grain is partly stolen every day by the Russian military, and then exported by ship to certain countries. We need to react very quickly. We at the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs work with the embassies of such countries, because if you understand where this grain comes from, where the Russian Federation transports it from, how can you buy it illegitimately just because it is sold to you almost for free,” said the President.

He called on other democracies to help Ukraine fight such actions by the Russian Federation at the diplomatic level, as it will be difficult for our state to do so on its own.

During his speech, Volodymyr Zelenskyy also called for increased sanctions on Russia, without waiting for its next shot – the use of chemical, biological and, God forbid, nuclear weapons.

“Do not give the aggressor the impression that the world will not show enough resistance. Protect freedom and normal, useful for all peaceful order in the world immediately and in full! That’s what sanctions should be. Maximum. So that Russia and every other potential aggressor who wants to wage a brutal war against a neighbor knows exactly what this is leading to. And I think there are no such sanctions against Russia yet. And they must be imposed,” the President said.

In particular, according to him, there should be an embargo on Russian oil, a complete blockade of all Russian banks, abandonment of the Russian IT sector and the cessation of any trade with the aggressor.

The Head of State called on international companies to fully withdraw from the Russian market so that their brands, offices, accounts and commodities are not used by war criminals in their interests.

“Values must matter. Especially since everyone suffers losses when a full-scale war begins and global markets are destabilized due to someone’s neglect of values. For our part, we offer every company that leaves the Russian market to continue operating in Ukraine. You will get access not only to our market of 40 million consumers, but also to the common market of Europe. And at the same time, your brands, positions will only be enhanced due to the fact that you really support the protection of freedom,” the President noted.

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the representatives of Ukraine in Davos are ready to inform about the details of the prospects that our country opens for business.

The Head of State also stressed that his proposals were aimed against hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos.

“We must not be afraid to set new precedents. This is exactly what the world has long had to learn at various turning points, for which it paid a high price. This was the price for the fact that the world only reacted, not acted preventively. So, now we can do it differently. Finally in the right way,” the President concluded.

30/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Speech by Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak at the opening of the Russian War Crimes in the framework of the World Economic Forum in Davos

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 23 May 2022.

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear guests.

Thanks for having me here. I think today’s event is very important. The world should know the truth.

Home. Home is comfort. A place where you are well and safe. Home is a worldview. A place where your wishes come true. Home is the future. A place where your children grow. Home is the universe. The place where the journey begins.

At our home, in my country, in Ukraine, there is a war. Hordes of butchers, rapists and murderers in Russian uniforms brought it. They look like human beings. But what they do on our land deprives them of the right to be called human.

Their home is really the residence of evil. This should be said directly and clearly. Because that’s the way the truth is told. From now on, war crime is Russia’s second name. And amending the name of once the Russian House in Davos is not just symbolic. It’s honest. It’s fair. For it’s exposing both Russia’s worldview and Russia’s universe.

Anybody can see it’s truth by themselves. Anyone can learn the names of those whom the so-called Russian liberators liberated from everything. From peace. From freedom. From life itself. Very often for fun and pleasure.

Still, I’m going to tell you a couple of life stories, real stories of our people. These are stories of Ukrainian children. Victims of war. Victims of genocide against the Ukrainian people.

On April 9, Russian troops shelled Vuhledar. It’s a city in Ukraine. Ten-year-old Veronica’s hometown. They had shelled it on the eighth. And on the seventh. And the day before. All the time, the girl and her family were hiding in the basement. The tank shell flew right into the ventilation window. In a moment, Veronica lost her father, her grandmother, her uncle, and his wife. The girl has been in a coma for several days. Doctors say, she’s got severe spinal cord and brain injuries. Veronica can walk already. She is working hard to exercise her paralyzed right arm.

And here is the story of ten-year-old Illya. His native city of Mariupol, the name of this city is now famous in the whole world, became a war zone from the very beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion. He and his mother Natalia stayed in the city. At first, they had been hiding in their house basement. And then they lived there. One day they came under enemy fire. They ran to their neighbors for shelter. But luck betrayed them. The woman was wounded in the head. And the boy’s foot was crushed. Somehow, Natalia brought her son to safety.

Wounded and exhausted, they lay on the couch. Natalia was hugging Illya while her heart was beating. She was gone that night. The next day, the Russian military forcibly took the boy to occupied Novoazovsk. Then he was brought to Donetsk. Local doctors thought of amputating Illya’s foot. But he was lucky this time.

Meanwhile, Illya’s grandmother in Ukraine was looking for a way to get her grandson back. She quickly obtained custody. Then, she crossed the borders of the four countries to take him home. But first, the boy had to get a long-term inpatient treatment.

One day Ukrainian doctors said Illya’s leg was fully functional and he would be able to walk. He considers the day his second birthday. Ilyusha can already move his toes. He is very determined to recover. He gets very joyful when guests come to him. But sadness remains in his eyes. It is impossible to imagine what this boy had to survive. His pain cannot be forgiven.

These are just two stories. As of May 21, there were 660 more stories of wounded and killed children that we knew for sure. But it is impossible to say the exact number of kids who lost their health and lives to the Russian invasion. The war is still going on in Ukraine.

None of these stories are about the collateral damage. They are all about genocide. Russian soldiers kill Ukrainians because they are Ukrainians. The Russian army is destroying Ukraine because it is Ukraine. This is the purpose and the goal of the invasion.

Russian thugs in uniform seem to use the December 1948 UN Convention definitions of genocide as a source of their inspiration. Not a punishment warning.

In addition to murders, torture, and mutilation because of belonging to a certain group, reduction and prevention of childbirth are also on the list. You might have seen footage of the maternity hospital bombed in Mariupol. But it’s not the only one. Dozens of them were destroyed all over Ukraine. And there are thousands of damaged hospitals, schools and kindergartens.

Forcible transfer of children to other groups is also the sign of genocide. Well. According to Russian sources, as of May 21, the state sponsor of terrorism had deported over two hundred and thirty-two thousand children to its territory. Over 2,000 of them are either orphaned or separated from their parents. Meanwhile, the Russian parliament is preparing to simplify the Ukrainian children adoption by the Russian nationals. It’s not about humanism. It’s about a frenzy of hatred and destruction under the slogans of humanism.

Genocide is one of the vilest crimes known to mankind. It employs pathological sadists, gullible fools, and greatness-thirsty duffers. But the worst thing is that silent people endorse it. The people who lose their humanity because of fear of their own tyrant.

Davos is a place of strength. For half a century, a new world has been created here. If I were honored to create the Davos Forum slogan, I think, I would suggest “Respect. Synergy. Concord.”

But today a new world is being born in my country, Ukraine. We are defending from the brutal and ruthless force. We are resisting an empire that sees genocide and crimes against humanity as routine, not taboo. But we are fighting not just for ourselves. The fate of Europe and the world is at stake. Evil has to be stopped for the future’s sake. It always comes back if unpunished.

30/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Volodymyr Zelenskyy supports Andrzej Duda’s initiative for a new good-neighborly agreement between Ukraine and Poland, which would help enhance relations between the two countries

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 22 May 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed support for the initiative of Polish President Andrzej Duda to conclude a new good-neighborly agreement that would help maintain warm relations between the nations of the two countries. He said this during a meeting with media representatives following talks with Andrzej Duda in Kyiv.

“I do not want our nations to risk our relations Relations with Poland today are one of the highest priorities for Ukraine. I am sure that they are now the most powerful in the history of our nations. And I really want us to have agreements not for the sake of agreements, but concrete, substantive ones that can only improve our lives, enhance the relations of our societies,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The President of Ukraine is convinced that such a document should first be worked on by specialists, after which the presidents of the two states will move to the political part, in particular to the coordination of certain issues.

For his part, Andrzej Duda noted that it would be symbolic to sign such an agreement between Ukraine and Poland by January 2023, marking the 160th anniversary of the January Uprising, during which Poles and Ukrainians fought against the domination of the Russian Empire.

“It is difficult for me to say now whether we will be able to work out new decisions by this time, but I am sure of one thing: today we are in a completely different situation, and this situation creates a new picture. First of all, it creates a new perspective,” he stressed.

The President of Poland suggested that the leaders of the two countries, together with experts, prepare an agreement that would accelerate the implementation of new prospects and opportunities.

“It would be a big mistake if we did not use this chance,” said Andrzej Duda.

30/08/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Poland today demonstrates historical level of support for Ukraine – Volodymyr Zelenskyy following the meeting with Andrzej Duda in Kyiv

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 22 May 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda who is on a visit to Ukraine.

The heads of state talked in a vis-a-vis format. Then, talks between the Ukrainian and Polish delegations chaired by the presidents took place.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that today Poland is showing a historical level of support for Ukraine, our Armed Forces and citizens who were forced to leave their homes due to the Russian invasion.

“And today the President of Poland also said: Ukraine protects the rights and freedoms not only of its own, but also of every European country. Our friendly Poland and the whole European Union,” the President said during a meeting with media representatives following talks with Andrzej Duda in Kyiv.

According to the President of Ukraine, during the Russian aggression, the Ukrainian and Polish nations show strong ties at various levels.

“We will do everything in our power to ensure that we do not lose this friendship, this warm and strategic partnership,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed.

According to the Head of State, during the meeting with Andrzej Duda, in particular, the issue of strengthening the Armed Forces of Ukraine was discussed.

“We are grateful to Poland – they worked constantly, every day. And I want to note the special personal role of the President of the Republic of Poland in strengthening (the Armed Forces of Ukraine – ed.) and in the supply of weapons,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Also, according to the President of Ukraine, the current situation on the food market was discussed, in particular, the shortage of food products.

“Now we are thinking about unblocking the supply of our grain, etc. to European countries, Asia and Africa. Here we also work together with our Polish partners,” the President said.

In addition, the parties discussed topical issues of economic relations between Ukraine and Poland. Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for the representatives of the governments of the two states to hold a meeting in the near future to discuss the mentioned issues.

“It is important today to talk about the reconstruction of Ukraine. This is a signal that we will definitely win, I’m sure of it. And to rebuild Ukraine, we need the unity of the countries of the European Union, the United States, and all our friends. And we see Poland among the leading countries that will be in the program of reconstruction of Ukraine,” the President said.

Also, according to him, Poland today plays an important role in Ukraine’s movement towards membership in the European Union, because it understands as no one that our country has actually been part of Europe for a long time already.

“We think alike, we believe alike and we defend our freedom and independence. But there are bureaucratic, technical things, and on this path we need powerful ambassadors. And Poland is one of such countries,” the President said, adding that Ukraine expects to receive EU candidate status in June this year.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked all Poles for their help to Ukrainians who had to flee the war, and noted that after the victory he would be happy to visit those Polish cities that stood out in support of Ukraine and our citizens in these difficult times.

For his part, Polish President Andrzej Duda stressed that Russia’s war against Ukraine is not over, it is a given, people are still dying.

“Everything that is happening today in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions – a normal person cannot imagine it. Hundreds of people give their lives every day. This is the scale of the war, which Europe and the world have not seen for a long time,” he said.

Andrzej Duda is convinced that the end of the war requires support for Ukraine by the international community, not only humanitarian, but also military assistance.

“Ukraine needs weapons. Ukrainians have great morale and determination, but they need modern equipment to defeat such an enemy,” said the President of Poland.

He also stressed the importance of coordinated, strong sanctions pressure on Russia. It is necessary to isolate it at the international level and stop doing “business as usual”. In addition, according to Andrzej Duda, sanctions are needed that will affect Russia’s image, including expulsions from international organizations, sports associations, etc.

“We must find a way to create a situation where the war will completely cease to be beneficial to Russia, and will be a threat to Russia itself,” he said.

The Polish leader also stressed the need to already think about rebuilding Ukraine after the war.

At the end of the meeting, the President of Ukraine presented Ukrainian vyshyvankas to Andrzej Duda and the First Lady of Poland Agata Kornhauser-Duda.

30/08/2022