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Category: Attack on Ukraine

  • Leo Docherty – 2022 Statement on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Review Conference

    Leo Docherty – 2022 Statement on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Review Conference

    The statement made by Leo Docherty, the Minister of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the House of Commons on 12 October 2022.

    The House may welcome an update regarding the 10th treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons review conference, which was held at the United Nations in New York from 1 to 26 August. The conference reviewed progress and sought to reach consensus on future actions under the treaty’s three pillars: disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear technology. While the conference was unable to achieve its overall goal of a consensus outcome document owing to Russian actions, it advanced discussion on each of the treaty’s three pillars, and agreed to establish a working group on further strengthening the review process of the treaty, open to all states parties.

    We were deeply disappointed that, despite the progress made in many areas, Russia blocked the adoption of a consensus outcome document over references to Ukraine, in order to defend its unprovoked, illegal war on Ukraine. Russia’s betrayal of the security assurances it gave through the Budapest memorandum when Ukraine joined the treaty, and its responsibility for the unfolding situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, were both referenced obliquely in the President’s consolidated text. Russia’s aggression poses grave challenges to the international nuclear security architecture. The UK, and many other states, raised these concerns consistently throughout the conference, and the UK issued a joint statement with 56 countries explaining how Russia’s aggression and behaviour in Ukraine impacted the treaty.

    The UK played an active role both in the preparation for the conference and at the conference itself. As part of its preparations, the UK published a revised national report setting out the action being taken to support the treaty and fulfil the UK’s commitments across all three pillars of the treaty. At the start of the conference, former Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Graham Stuart MP, set out the UK’s approach and progress against the treaty’s objectives, and led a side event on the UK’s national report. The UK’s positive agenda for the conference focused on our track record on disarmament, including reductions in stockpiles and delivery systems and thought-leadership on risk reduction, verification and transparency. The UK also highlighted our leadership in establishing the “Sustained Dialogue on Peaceful Uses”, a new effort to increase access to the benefits of peaceful nuclear technologies for development, including through meeting the UN sustainable development goals. We engaged constructively in the negotiations throughout, seeking to reach agreement and to make progress across all three pillars of the treaty.

    The lack of a consensus outcome neither undermines the treaty nor changes states’ obligations. Of the nine previous review conferences, which have taken place almost every five years since the treaty came into force in 1970, only three have adopted a comprehensive final document by consensus. Throughout, the treaty has remained vitally important for the UK and for the international community as a whole, playing an unparalleled role in curtailing the nuclear arms race and keeping the world safe. The action plan adopted at the 2010 conference remains valid as a comprehensive road map for all states party to the treaty to follow to take forward action on disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful use of nuclear technology, as do the consensus outcomes from 2000 and 1995. The UK will continue to work closely with our partners to strengthen the treaty and make progress against this roadmap, while also building on the successes of this conference.

    In particular, we look forward to contributing to the working group on strengthening the review process and we will continue to work with Norway on our initiative to clarify and apply the principle of irreversibility. We will also be launching, with the United States and 30 other partners who have joined so far, the sustained dialogue on expanding access to the peaceful uses of nuclear technologies.

    The UK’s commitment to the treaty and to fulfilling our obligations, including under article VI on disarmament, remains undiminished. As a nuclear weapon state that takes our responsibilities seriously and an original party to the treaty, the UK remains committed to creating the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons. We have approximately halved our nuclear stockpile since the cold war peak and we continue to drive research and discussion on risk reduction, verification and transparency. We remain committed to working internationally to reduce the risk of nuclear conflict and enhance mutual trust and security. The UK will continue to play its part in bringing about a safer world for all and achieving the long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons.

    The treaty is and will remain the fundamental cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation regime and is the irreplaceable foundation and framework for our common efforts on advancing nuclear disarmament and the peaceful uses of nuclear technology. The conference decided to hold the 11th review conference in 2026 in New York, with preparatory committees to take place in 2023 in Vienna, 2024 in Geneva and 2025 in New York. The UK will continue to work alongside the international community at all of these meetings to strengthen the regime and to promote international stability, peace and security and will keep Parliament updated.

  • Leo Docherty – 2022 Statement of Contingent Liability Notification – Ukraine Guarantees

    Leo Docherty – 2022 Statement of Contingent Liability Notification – Ukraine Guarantees

    The statement made by Leo Docherty, the Minister of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the House of Commons on 12 October 2022.

    Today, I have laid a departmental minute that describes two liabilities that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is undertaking to support the economic stability of Ukraine following Russia’s invasion in February 2022.

    It is normal practice, when a Government Department proposes to undertake a contingent liability in excess of £300,000 for which there is no specific statutory authority, for the Minister concerned to present a departmental minute to Parliament giving particulars of the liability created and explaining the circumstances; and to refrain from incurring the liability until 14 parliamentary sitting days after the issue of the statement, except in cases of special urgency.

    This departmental minute sets out details of two new liabilities undertaken by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The first is a guarantee to support lending by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to Ukrenergo, Ukraine’s state-owned and sole electricity transmission system operator. This guarantee has an expected maximum exposure of €54 million— £47 million. The second is a guarantee to support lending by the World Bank to the Government of Ukraine directly. This guarantee has an expected maximum exposure of €527 million—£460 million. The guarantees will be denominated in the currency Ukraine decides to borrow in. Due to the urgency of the situation in Ukraine and unexpected disruption to Parliament’s schedule in September, we notified the Public Accounts Committee instead of Parliament before signing the first of these two guarantees. We are now presenting a written ministerial statement and departmental minute to the House for information.

    The FCDO is guaranteeing both principal and interest repayments on the EBRD and World Bank loans. A UK pay-out would be triggered if either Ukrenergo or the Government of Ukraine miss a repayment by 180 days.

    The World Bank and EBRD are both well respected multilateral development banks that benefit from preferred creditor status. The UK is an active shareholder at both institutions.

    The exact length of the liabilities is linked to the terms of the agreed financing between the World Bank, EBRD and the Government of Ukraine. The EBRD guarantee has a maturity of five years. The World Bank guarantee has a maturity of 18 years.

    HM Treasury approved both of these guarantees and the expedited notification process. Chairs of the relevant parliamentary Committees did not raise any objections. If any Member of the House has questions, do get in touch.

    A copy of the departmental minute has been placed in the Library.

  • James Cleverly – 2022 Statement on the UN General Assembly Vote on Ukraine

    James Cleverly – 2022 Statement on the UN General Assembly Vote on Ukraine

    The statement made by James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, on 12 October 2022.

    Today’s UN General Assembly vote is a powerful demonstration of the international community’s widespread condemnation of Russia’s outrageous, illegal attempts to annex the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

    This is an important show of international unity against an aggressor that seeks to destabilise the international norms that protect us all. In the face of President Putin’s unprovoked aggression, 143 nations across the globe have come together in defence of the UN Charter and in solidarity with Ukraine.

    The vote is indisputable evidence of what we have known for some time – Putin stands alone on the international stage and his actions are driving his country further into self-inflicted isolation.

  • Luke Pollard – 2022 Speech on Nuclear Weapons and Vladimir Putin

    Luke Pollard – 2022 Speech on Nuclear Weapons and Vladimir Putin

    The speech made by Luke Pollard, the Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, in the House of Commons on 11 October 2022.

    I welcome the new Minister to his place. It is because Ukraine is winning that Putin’s behaviour is becoming so volatile. The sham referenda, the irresponsible nuclear sabre-rattling, the missile attacks on civilians—these are the hallmarks of a tyrant on the ropes and a tyrant who is losing.

    Labour stands with our friends in Ukraine. With our unshakeable commitment to NATO, the Minister knows that he has our full support for the actions the Government are taking to help Ukraine win. Yesterday’s missile attacks on civilians are a significant escalation. The NATO Secretary-General was right to describe the attacks as “horrific and indiscriminate”.

    Ministers have Labour’s full support in countering Putin’s aggression. In that spirit, I ask the Minister when he will set out a long-term strategy of support for Ukraine, so that we can make sure that Putin’s war ends in failure. Can he confirm that the NLAW—next generation light anti-tank weapon—replacement orders have finally been placed? When does he expect to replenish our depleted weapons stockpiles? What assessment has he made of the worrying statements by Lukashenko and the continued presence of Russian troops and armour in Belarus?

    I would be grateful if the Minister addressed the concerning media reports of the withdrawal of almost 700 British troops currently deployed to our NATO ally Estonia, without any planned replacement. That risks sending the wrong message at the wrong time, and it has worried our international allies. We cannot walk away until the job is done. With that in mind, will he reassure the House that he will not withdraw any further UK troops from our allies, and that the UK will meet our NATO commitments?

    Finally, as more bodies are unearthed at the sites of war crimes, we remember them and we remember those killed yesterday in Putin’s criminal missile strikes. Does the Minister agree that the best justice for those killed is victory for Ukraine, a free and sovereign nation, and war crime tribunals for those responsible?

    Alec Shelbrooke

    I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his kind comments and I look forward to working across the Dispatch Boxes on these vital issues.

    On the hon. Gentleman’s comments about the horrific war crimes we have seen unfold every time there is a Russian retreat, I think that every decent human being is appalled. I am proud that the UK Government are funding the International Criminal Court, and we will do everything we can to support Ukraine in bringing the perpetrators of these horrific crimes to justice.

    I hope the hon. Gentleman will forgive me if I come back to him with a written answer on the postures from Lukashenko.

    On Estonia, the overall capability of our commitment there is far more important than the number of troops alone. We have committed to strengthening that capability over the forthcoming years. I was in Estonia, and indeed Latvia and Lithuania, in my previous role in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. I have seen at first hand the work that takes place there. All our NATO allies can be reassured that we are committed to making sure that the NATO frontline is secure. We work with colleagues and there will be variation in how that is done.

    With regard to support, the hon. Gentleman will have noticed that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has set up the international support fund. This country contributed £250 million to that, and I believe the total figure is now above €400 million. That is in place to help support Ukraine as this war moves forward and the conflict carries on, so that it can use that money not only in the conflict but to rebuild and, of course, ensure it has the ammunition supplies and things it needs.

    With regard to NLAW and our weapons supply, we are working with industrial supply chains and are confident that we will have the ability to defend ourselves and to give support, but we do not comment on operational capability beyond that.

  • Alec Shelbrooke – 2022 Statement on Nuclear Weapons and Vladimir Putin

    Alec Shelbrooke – 2022 Statement on Nuclear Weapons and Vladimir Putin

    The statement made by Alec Shelbrooke, the Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence, in the House of Commons on 11 October 2022.

    Russia’s continuing assault on Ukraine is an unprovoked and premeditated attack against a sovereign democratic state and it continues to threaten global security. This week, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence is meeting with Defence Ministers in Brussels to discuss further support for Ukraine, and later today my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister will be speaking to members of the G7.

    I can assure the House that the UK and our allies remain steadfast and united in our support for Ukraine. As previously set out to the House, Defence is playing a central role in the UK’s response to the Russian invasion, providing £2.3 billion-worth of military support and leading in the international response.

    We were the first European country to provide lethal aid to Ukraine. To date, we have sent more than 10,000 anti-tank missiles, multiple-launch rocket systems, more than 200 armoured vehicles, more than 120 logistics vehicles, six Stormer vehicles fitted with Starstreak launchers and hundreds of missiles, as well as maritime Brimstone missiles. In addition, we have supplied almost 100,000 rounds of artillery ammunition, nearly 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition, 2,600 anti-structure munitions and 4.5 tonnes of plastic explosive.

    Defence is also providing basic training to Ukrainian soldiers in the UK. To date, we have trained over 6,000 Ukrainian recruits in the UK, and we continually review and adjust the course to meet their requirements. Defence will continue to respond decisively to Ukraine’s requests and the equipment is playing a crucial role in stalling the Russian advance and supporting our Ukrainian friends.

    President Putin’s comments on nuclear are irresponsible. No other country is talking about nuclear use. We do not see this as a nuclear crisis.

    Mr Ellwood

    Thanks to our support and that of allies, Ukrainian forces have done the unthinkable in pushing back Russian force. However, with Putin now on the back foot and the third largest military in the world humiliated, this conflict has entered a darker chapter and we cannot be bystanders. Putin cannot be seen to lose this war and, as his response to the Kerch bridge attack shows, he is stooping to ever more unconventional tactics. The threat of Putin’s turning to tactical low-yield nuclear weapons remains low, but it has increased, posing questions for Britain and the United States that must be addressed before, not after, that line is crossed.

    Russian military doctrine allows first use of nuclear weapons in response to conventional attacks on Russian soil. That is why the sham referendums took place in the Donbas region—so that Putin could claim it was part of the motherland. In response, as things stand, our formal position is so-called strategic ambiguity: the promise of a response, but no public clarity on what that might be.

    We gained a reputation for blinking when it came to Georgia, on chemical weapons use in Syria and when the Crimea was annexed. I believe we should state now what our conventional response would be to Putin’s either deploying nuclear weapons directly or targeting hazardous infrastructure such as chemical or indeed civil nuclear plants. Such clarity could be the very deterrent that helps to prevent such hostile actions from taking place, rather than the vague position we have now.

    Our adversaries—not just Russia—must know and fear the military consequences of daring to resort to using nuclear weapons, even if they are low yield. This is not an operational decision but a political call. We have a duty to do all we can to deter Putin from going nuclear. Let us not leave it to chance. Let us exhibit the robust statecraft and engagement that this unpredictable war now requires.

    Alec Shelbrooke

    I am grateful for my right hon. Friend’s comments. I reiterate what I said at the start: President Putin’s comments are irresponsible. No other country is talking about nuclear use, and we do not see this as a nuclear crisis. President Putin should be clear that, for the UK and our allies, any use of nuclear weapons at all would break the taboo on nuclear use that has held since 1945 and lead to severe consequences for Russia.

    President Putin has launched an illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. His forces continue to commit senseless atrocities. The people of Ukraine seek only to restore their sovereignty and territorial integrity, and we will continue to support Ukraine’s right to defend.

    My right hon. Friend speaks of tactical nuclear missiles, but nuclear is nuclear. I reiterate what the Secretary-General of NATO said:

    “President Putin’s nuclear rhetoric is dangerous. It is reckless. NATO is of course vigilant. We monitor closely what Russia does. Russia must understand that nuclear war can never be won and must never be fought. And it will have severe consequences for Russia if they use nuclear weapons. And this has been very clearly conveyed to Russia. So we will continue to support Ukraine. And we will continue to support them in their efforts to liberate even more territory, because they have the right to do so.”

    It is not and never has been tactically smart to outline exactly what the response would be to any potential situation. We will continue on the lines that this Government and, indeed, the Secretary-General have outlined.

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (12/10/2022)

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (12/10/2022)

    The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 12 October 2022.

    Ukrainians!

    The enemy launched a second wave of terrorist attacks against our country.

    As of this morning, there were 28 missiles, of which 20 were shot down. More than 15 drones, almost all of them are Iranian combat drones. Most were shot down.

    I am thankful to all our warriors of the Air Forces, Ground Forces and Intelligence involved in defense against these Russian strikes!

    And, by the way, at the request of the military command, I want to celebrate soldier Dmytro Shumskyi (anti-aircraft missile platoon of the 57th separate radio engineering battalion, Chernihiv direction) for yesterday.

    On October 10, Dmytro Shumskyi showed excellent skills and reaction and shot down two terrorists’ cruise missiles with the help of Stinger MANPADS.

    One person saved dozens of lives. Thank you for that!

    Restoration works are taking place quite quickly and efficiently throughout the country.

    If it wasn’t for today’s strikes, we would have already restored the energy supply, water supply and communications that the terrorists damaged yesterday. And today, Russia will achieve only one additional thing: it will delay our recovery a little.

    Where there was destruction, the infrastructure will be renewed everywhere. Where there were losses, there is already or will be construction. Where there were any hopes of the enemy, there will be ruins of Russian statehood.

    And I thank everyone who, at their level, provides recovery after terrorist attacks.

    I am grateful to the rescuers – more than a thousand employees of the State Emergency Service, who immediately arrived on calls and began neutralizing the consequences of terrorist attacks.

    At the suggestion of the Minister of Internal Affairs, I would like to especially note the selfless and determined actions of senior ensign Borys Shapovalov, commander of the department in the Zaporizhzhia region; sergeant Oleksandr Smiyan, firefighter-rescuer, Zaporizhzhia region; ensign Yuriy Lozynskyi and junior sergeant Oleksiy Biletskyi, respirator workers of the mining and rescue department, Kyiv city.

    I am grateful to all the doctors who helped the wounded and injured!

    I am grateful to all energy workers and utility workers for their high-quality response and quick work.

    I am grateful to the local government workers, heads of local government and government officials who worked together, truly in unity and excellently.

    Now most of the cities and villages that the terrorists wanted to leave without electricity and communication are already with electricity and communication.

    In some cities and districts, work is still ongoing. In some cities and districts, energy workers apply temporary restrictions on energy supply according to the schedule – this is necessary solely in order to maintain the stability of the energy system.

    The government controls all this – we are trying to restore normal conditions as quickly as possible.

    I would also like to thank all Ukrainians who listened yesterday and limited their own electricity consumption during peak hours – from 17:00 to 22:00.

    Thanks to our conscientiousness, we managed to save a tenth of the energy on average in the country, which allowed the system to work more stably. And our goal should be to save a quarter of electricity precisely during these peak hours.

    It should be done today and in the near future.

    Please postpone the energy consumption of appliances that require a lot of electricity to other hours of the day. It is not difficult for an individual, and it gives a great result within the scale of our entire country.

    I took part today in the extraordinary summit of the Group of Seven, which was convened by the German presidency on our initiative.

    We discussed the response of the most powerful democracies to this new Russian escalation.

    For such a new wave of terror there must be a new wave of responsibility for Russia. New sanctions, new forms of political pressure and new forms of support for Ukraine.

    Tomorrow, the defense support for Ukraine will be discussed in the “Ramstein” format. I expect progress from our partners on the issue of air and anti-missile defense, agreements on new supplies of other weapons and ammunition we need.

    The terrorist state must be deprived of even the thought that any wave of terror can bring it anything.

    A separate task for intelligence is to establish all those involved in these missile attacks against Ukraine, in schemes with Iranian drones.

    The individual responsibility of terrorists should be the same as the responsibility of the terrorist state. We work for this.

    Today I had separate conversations with the Prime Minister of Italy and the Prime Minister of Australia. I heard absolutely clear support, absolutely clear condemnation of all manifestations of Russian aggression against Ukraine and international law.

    We also have a detailed statement from the Group of Seven, in particular, that all those responsible for terror against Ukraine will be brought to justice. Starting with the current political leadership of Russia and ending with everyone who serves these terrorist interests.

    Mankind and humanity are stronger than any terrorists. I am thankful to everyone who fights and works for our victory!

    And one more thing. Today, 32 of our warriors were freed from Russian captivity. We do everything for Ukraine – possible and impossible. Gratitude to everyone who worked for this result!

    Glory to our beautiful people! We will restore everything that was destroyed!

    Glory to Ukraine!

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Speech to the UNESCO Executive Board

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Speech to the UNESCO Executive Board

    The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 11 October 2022.

    Ladies and Gentlemen!

    Dear defenders of the educational, scientific and cultural heritage of mankind!

    Today, Ukraine is going through the 230th day of a full-scale war.

    How was your morning today? I will tell you what ours was like. At eight o’clock in the morning, most of the territory of Ukraine was already in a state of air alert.

    Russia launched cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea.

    Today, children in Ukraine didn’t go to kindergartens, schools, or universities again. Online learning is introduced everywhere.

    In this war, we cannot know who and what will be targeted by Russian missiles.

    Children or adults… An educational facility or a cultural object… A critical infrastructure facility or, for example, a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.

    All of these are equal targets for Russia.

    This night, a Russian missile hit the premises of the Khortytsia Academy in the Zaporizhzhia region. For what? This is their tactic. The tactic of terrorists.

    More than 2,600 educational facilities have already been destroyed or damaged by such terrorist attacks by Russia.

    Yesterday in Kyiv, our capital, a Russian missile hit the crossroads in the central part of the city. People died – literally burned in cars.

    And it was 700 meters from the bell tower of St. Sophia’s Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    At the same crossroads are the buildings of Shevchenko University, one of the most important universities in Eastern Europe. It was affected by this strike. The Institute of Philology is damaged.

    Russia can award itself the special title of winner of universities, institutes, academies and schools. How many cruise missiles do educational institutions have? Zero. And Russia has hundreds of missiles.

    This is what its victory is like.

    Another Russian missile hit Tereshchenkivska Street in Kyiv yesterday. The premises of the Khanenko Museum were damaged, masterpieces by Velázquez, Canova, and Cellini are stored there. The premises of the Shevchenko Museum. One of the most renowned Kyiv publishing houses.

    Can you imagine a missile attack on Babyn Yar in Kyiv, the burial place of a hundred thousand victims of Nazi executions? And this strike took place.

    Can you imagine the shelling of the Menorah in Drobytsky Yar, Kharkiv region, where 20,000 Nazi victims are buried? And this shelling also took place.

    540 is the total number of objects of cultural heritage, cultural institutions and religious buildings damaged by Russian strikes in Ukraine during the full-scale war since February 24. Almost 200 destroyed or damaged temples!

    And it is possible – while I am addressing you now – that one of the Russian strikes damaged other cultural or educational objects, other memorials or temples.

    Ladies and Gentlemen!

    Dear defenders of the educational, scientific and cultural heritage of mankind!

    Please tell me why the representatives of Russia are still among you? What are they doing at UNESCO?

    How can there be representatives of a terrorist state in UNESCO, which is proud of the destruction it causes in another country?

    I am grateful to UNESCO for supporting Ukraine at this time and for all the principled statements that were made to protect Ukraine and culture from Russian aggression. But still, new steps are needed – steps that Russia will feel.

    A terrorist state definitely has no right to chair one of the key bodies for the protection of cultural and natural heritage – the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. Such a Russian presidency devalues the institution itself – its significance, its reputation.

    It is inadmissible to let Russia destroy the authority of UNESCO.

    The terrorist state must be excluded from all UNESCO bodies and from the Organization itself.

    Let it be a historical example for everyone in the world that no one will tolerate an enemy of culture, an enemy of history, an enemy of education, an enemy of science.

    Unfortunately, this is Russia’s choice – to oppose everything that matters to humanity.

    This is its deliberate choice.

    The second thing that is needed now is the expansion of our joint efforts to protect cultural heritage in Ukraine. Just now! Given daily threats of Russian strikes.

    We must provide a clear signal that the world will not turn a blind eye to the destruction of our common history, our common culture, our common heritage.

    One of the steps for this should be the preservation of the historical center of Odesa – a beautiful city, an important port of the Black Sea and a source of culture for millions of people in different countries.

    Together with our partners, we prepared the nomination file of Odesa for inclusion in the World Heritage List. We are passing this on to UNESCO.

    And I am asking you to initiate an extraordinary session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee to resolve this issue for Odesa.

    And please, it cannot be delayed, it cannot be postponed.

    Odesa, like all other cities of Ukraine, is a target for Russian strikes. Please support Odesa! Show at the level of UNESCO precisely that Russian terror must end.

    Colleagues! Ukraine has been a conscientious member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization since May 12, 1954. Our state always invests only in the preservation of our common heritage and never in destruction!

    Now we need your support. Support in the preservation and protection of education, science and culture.

    I would like to express my gratitude to UNESCO and its partners for their willingness to provide 50,000 computers for Ukrainian teachers to ensure online education. But we need more.

    We already offer partners – both at the state level, and at the level of international and non-governmental organizations, businesses – to join the reconstruction of Ukraine after hostilities.

    Some partners have joined. Now I am addressing those who have not yet decided to support Ukrainian recovery. This project will definitely become the largest economic and infrastructure project in Europe over the last 50 years. And this is a historic opportunity for each of you – to be participants in this project, to be historically significant defenders of education, culture and science – our joint heritage.

    I believe that our common strength will be enough so that terror can never win.

    I thank you for your attention! Thank you for this opportunity to address you!

    Glory to Ukraine!

  • Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya – 2022 Comments on Belarus and the Russian Attack on Ukraine

    Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya – 2022 Comments on Belarus and the Russian Attack on Ukraine

    The comments made by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of the Belarusian democratic movement, on Twitter on 11 October 2022.

    This is our position:

    ?Belarus must officially withdraw from ?? war participation.
    ?Every ?? soldier must leave Belarus unconditionally.
    ?All involved in ?? attack from Belarus must be held accountable.
    ?Democratic Belarus & ?? should build an alliance against ?? aggression.

  • G7 – 2022 Joint Statement on Ukraine

    G7 – 2022 Joint Statement on Ukraine

    The joint statement issued by G7 leaders on 11 October 2022.

    G7 Statement on Ukraine, 11 October 2022

    1. We, the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7), convened today with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Our meeting took place against the backdrop of the most recent missile attacks against civilian infrastructure and cities across Ukraine, leading to the death of innocent civilians. We condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms and recall that indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilian populations constitute a war crime. We will hold President Putin and those responsible to account.
    2. The G7 firmly condemn and unequivocally reject the illegal attempted annexation by Russia of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions in addition to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol. We solemnly reiterate that we will never recognise this illegal annexation or the sham referenda that Russia uses to justify it.
    3. Russia has blatantly violated the principles enshrined in the UN Charter. They cannot and do not give Russia a legitimate basis to change Ukraine’s borders. We call upon all countries to unequivocally reject these violations of international law and demand that Russia cease all hostilities and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its troops and military equipment from Ukraine.
    4. We have imposed and will continue to impose further economic costs on Russia, including on individuals and entities – inside and outside of Russia – providing political or economic support for Russia’s illegal attempts to change the status of Ukrainian territory.
    5. We deplore deliberate Russian escalatory steps, including the partial mobilisation of reservists and irresponsible nuclear rhetoric, which is putting global peace and security at risk. We reaffirm that any use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons by Russia would be met with severe consequences.
    6. We condemn Russia’s actions at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant and the pressure exerted on the personnel of the facility. This is a further irresponsible escalation and we will hold Russia responsible for any incident caused by their actions. The safety, security and safeguards of the nuclear facility are paramount and we support the International Atomic Energy Agency’s efforts in this regard.
    7. We reiterate our call on the Belarusian authorities to stop enabling the Russian war of aggression by permitting Russian armed forces to use Belarusian territory and by providing support to the Russian military. The announcement of a joint military group with Russia constitutes the most recent example of the Belarusian regime’s complicity with Russia. We renew our call on the Lukashenko regime to fully abide by its obligations under international law.
    8. We reaffirm our full support to Ukraine’s independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty in its internationally recognised borders. In line with international law, in particular the UN Charter, Ukraine has the legitimate right to defend itself against Russian aggression and to regain full control of its territory within its internationally recognised borders.
    9. We reassured President Zelenskyy that we are undeterred and steadfast in our commitment to providing the support Ukraine needs to uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We will continue to provide financial, humanitarian, military, diplomatic and legal support and will stand firmly with Ukraine for as long as it takes. We are committed to supporting Ukraine in meeting its winter preparedness needs.
    10. With a view to a viable post-war peace settlement, we remain ready to reach arrangements together with interested countries and institutions and Ukraine on sustained security and other commitments to help Ukraine defend itself, secure its free and democratic future, and deter future Russian aggression. We will continue to coordinate efforts to meet Ukraine’s urgent requirements for military and defense equipment. We look forward to the outcomes of the International Expert Conference on the Recovery, Reconstruction and Modernisation of Ukraine on October 25.
    11. No country wants peace more than Ukraine, whose people have suffered death, displacement and countless atrocities as the result of Russian aggression. In solidarity with Ukraine, the G7 Leaders welcome President Zelenskyy’s readiness for a just peace. This should include the following elements: respecting the UN Charter’s protection of territorial integrity and sovereignty; safeguarding Ukraine’s ability to defend itself in the future; ensuring Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction, including exploring avenues to do so with funds from Russia; pursuing accountability for Russian crimes committed during the war.
    12. We are deeply troubled by the deliberate damage to the Nordstream pipelines in international waters in the Baltic Sea and strongly condemn any deliberate disruption of critical infrastructure. We welcome ongoing investigations.
    13. We will act in solidarity and close coordination to address the negative impact of Russia’s aggression for global economic stability, including by continuing to cooperate to ensure energy security and affordability across the G7 and beyond.
  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (11/10/2022)

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (11/10/2022)

    The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 11 October 2022.

    Fellow Ukrainians!

    Another day of our defense. A difficult day.

    Restoration work is currently underway across the country. We will restore all objects that were damaged by today’s attack by Russian terrorists. It’s only a matter of time. I tasked all structures of our state to ensure recovery as fast as possible.

    In some cities and regions, where there were blackouts due to shelling, the electricity supply has already been restored.

    As of now: Kharkiv region – 50% of energy supply has been restored. Energy crews need several hours to restore electricity supply to the majority of districts.

    Poltava region – restored almost everywhere. Mykolaiv region, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa region – connected. Cherkasy – connected. Khmelnytskyi – there is light in most parts of the city.

    In some cities and districts, efforts are still needed to give people electricity. Chernihiv region, Sumy region, Kyiv and Kyiv region, Lviv region, Ternopil region, Dnipropetrovsk region – we are working. Somewhere it takes hours, somewhere you have to wait a little longer, but the result will be everywhere.

    Unfortunately, 12 people died today in this terrorist attack. More than 80 were wounded or injured. Everyone who applied for help gets it.

    The Armed Forces of Ukraine, intelligence, the Security Service of Ukraine and all those involved in the defense of our state also perform their tasks.

    Of the 84 Russian missiles launched against Ukraine, 43 were shot down. Out of 24 Russian drones, 13 were shot down. And even after that, every ten minutes I get a message about the downing of Iranian “Shaheds”.

    Only in the last hours…

    16:28 – “Shahed” was destroyed, Litky district.

    17:26 – Kremenchuk, “Shahed” was destroyed.

    17:36 – Cherkasy, “Shahed” was destroyed.

    17:40 – Dovhyntseve, Kryvyi Rih, “Shahed” was destroyed.

    17:50 – Apostolove, “Shahed” was destroyed.

    And it’s like that all day long. Now as I speak I continue to receive such messages. Therefore, please follow the safety rules and pay attention to the air alarm. The danger is still there. But we are fighting.

    I am grateful to our Air Forces and Ground Forces units that were involved today!

    The leaders of the terrorists say that they hit all the targets they planned.

    First, they lie, as usual.

    Secondly, they lie, as usual. Take a look at their real targets, apart from energy facilities. Look at just one example of our capital…

    The crossroads in Kyiv where I stand. The crossroads of Volodymyrska Street and Shevchenko Boulevard. That’s the target.

    Seven hundred meters from here is the bell tower of St. Sophia’s Cathedral. Moscow did not yet exist when it was already standing.

    A little further there is Volodymyr’s Hill, a place that became the source of Christianity and culture for Eastern Europe. In particular, for the territory that much later came to be called Russia.

    Next to me are the buildings of the Shevchenko University, which will soon celebrate its 190th anniversary. They are damaged now by this Russian strike. But we will restore everything.

    The Teacher’s House was also damaged today. At one time, the Central Council of Ukraine worked there, and for Ukrainians this place will always be a place of memory about our glorious history of statehood.

    And right behind me there is a playground in Shevchenko Park, which also became a target for a Russian missile. But it is not just in Shevchenko Park. It is on one of the main museum streets of Kyiv. In particular, the Khanenko Art Museum was damaged by this attack by terrorists.

    And it’s like this in all the cities of our state – civil, cultural, educational facilities. Who can fight all this? Who can rejoice at strikes on such objects and such land?

    They say they want to push Ukraine back into the XVIII century. But they pushed themselves back into a much older era, in the era of savages, which they became quite consciously.

    And Ukraine will still remain in the XXI century.

    Kyiv saw various strangers. And survived them all. Kyiv will also survive this onslaught of terrorists who have no history, no tradition, no culture. They are temporary. And even if they live for 70 years, they still don’t have enough time to understand anything.

    Ukraine cannot be intimidated. We united even more instead. Ukraine cannot be stopped. We are convinced even more that terrorists must be neutralized.

    The Russian army carried out these strikes during the morning rush hour on purpose. This is a typical terrorist tactic. They wanted to incite more fear and affect more people. They affected. They affected the whole world.

    Today I have already spoken with the Chancellor of Germany, the President of France, the Emir of Qatar, the President of Poland, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

    I had a meeting with the U.S. Ambassador. Now I have conversations scheduled with the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of the United States. Tomorrow – with the Prime Minister of Italy.

    I am grateful to all for the unambiguous support!

    We’re consolidating the world. And I feel that the world is with us. An extraordinary meeting of the G7 is already scheduled for tomorrow. We are working on a resolution for the UN General Assembly to condemn Russia for all its escalating steps, for its terror. Terror inevitably receives a global response. And the blatant nature of Russian terror only encourages everyone to be more determined.

    Regarding energy. We will do everything to restore normal production and supply of electricity. We need electricity to be supplied for all families, regardless of any manifestations of Russian terror. We need energy to be supplied to all our homes, in all regions.

    Therefore, we need a reasonable consumption of electricity now. There are hours of peak load on the power system – from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. I am asking you, please, at this time, consume electricity in such a way as not to overload the power system. Please postpone washing, ironing, repairing and using other electrical appliances that consume a lot of energy before 5 p.m. or after 10 p.m. A strong request.

    The more Ukrainians consume electricity in this way, the more stable our energy system will be.

    We are doing everything to get modern air defense systems. And I am grateful to the partners who are already speeding up the delivery.

    We are doing everything to strengthen our Armed Forces. And now the occupiers already cannot oppose us on the battlefield, that is why they resort to this terror. Well, we’ll make the battlefield even more excruciating for the enemy. And we will restore everything that was destroyed.

    Please help each other! Please take care of those who are left alone in such circumstances! Believe in yourself, in Ukraine, in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and in our victory!

    Glory to Ukraine!