Category: Press Releases

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 8 November 2022.

Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak held the first meeting of the working group formed by the decree of the Head of State on November 3, 2022, to prepare proposals for providing assistance to states suffering from an acute food crisis.

“Today, it is Ukraine that is the main force that helps fight the food crisis created as a result of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. This shows that even in such terrible conditions, our country continues to be responsible, continues to think not only about itself, but also about the people who are suffering in the world today as a result of this war,” Andriy Yermak emphasized.

According to him, at today’s meeting of the working group, the first developments regarding the humanitarian supply of Ukrainian grain to the countries that need it the most are outlined.

The Head of the President’s Office reminded that in November it will be 90 years since the Holodomor tragedy of 1932-1933 – the genocide of the Ukrainian people. Therefore, the Ukrainian nation has personally experienced what hunger is like, and understands the importance of implementing this initiative.

“It is symbolic that these days we are reminding the world of this tragedy, and we do not want something similar to happen again with other nations,” Andriy Yermak said.

According to him, Ukraine seeks to involve international partners in the implementation of this initiative, relevant consultations have already begun.

As Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov noted, with the beginning of Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, the world realized the important role played by Ukrainian grain in stabilizing the world food market. In particular, obstacles created by Russia in the export of Ukrainian grain cause fluctuations in the price of grain on the world market.

He stated: many countries, even with a working grain corridor, cannot afford to buy grain for their needs, therefore the humanitarian initiative of the President of Ukraine is necessary.

Deputy Head of the Office of the President Andriy Sybiha noted: Russia has undermined global food security, but despite its full-scale aggression, Ukraine is still ready to be and acts as a guarantor of food security in the world.

Summarizing, the Head of the President’s Office emphasized that Ukraine is ready to help even at a time when it itself continues to fight the enemy and defend its independence and territorial integrity. “Today, the world must understand that Ukraine continues to fight, but also saves the world,” Andriy Yermak said.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 7 November 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with American businessman and philanthropist Howard Buffett.

The Head of State thanked for supporting the project to create a kitchen factory initiated by First Lady Olena Zelenska. “This project is important,” he emphasized.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed Howard Buffett about the security situation in our country, in particular in the context of shelling of energy infrastructure facilities by the aggressor country. Among other things, the President focused on strikes by Iranian kamikaze drones used by Russia.

The President emphasized the importance of strengthening the air defense system of Ukraine. The Head of State noted that the Ukrainian people are fighting for their land and continue to work despite the challenges facing our country due to Russian aggression.

For his part, the American businessman confirmed his readiness to act as a donor for the purchase of electrical equipment and generators to provide energy to critical facilities: pumping stations, hospitals and mobile heating points – in order to overcome the energy crisis.

The interlocutors also discussed the possibility of Howard Buffett’s participation in the Ukraine Reconstruction Fund, which the Ukrainian government is currently working on, as well as in private projects in our country.

The President awarded the philanthropist with the Order of Yaroslav the Wise of the V degree for his significant merits in strengthening interstate cooperation, supporting the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and a significant contribution to the popularization of the Ukrainian state in the world.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 4 November 2022.

On the occasion of Railway Workers’ Day, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with employees of Ukrzaliznytsia JSC and presented state awards.

“Together we have endured 254 days of full-scale invasion. And not only what we have endured during this time is important, but also the fact that we have preserved our humanity, the ability to help each other despite everything,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

As the Head of State emphasized, thanks to the work of the Ukrainian railway, thousands of lives were saved, while the railway workers worked under enemy fire.

“The work of the Ukrainian railway demonstrates this very well – it demonstrates how you protected our state during these more than eight months,” the President said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that from the first hours of the full-scale Russian invasion, railway workers managed to reorganize their work in accordance with the new conditions, which made it possible to maintain the efficiency of transportation.

According to the Head of State, since the beginning of the full-scale Russian aggression, thanks to the work of railway workers, millions of Ukrainians have been evacuated from the war zones.

“The defense of our state is fully ensured. Our economy is supported. Hundreds of thousands of jobs in various sectors of the economy depend on the clarity of work of each and every one of you. And this is the well-being of millions of people,” the President is convinced.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted the significant contribution of Ukrzaliznytsia to overcoming the fuel crisis and noted that the company’s employees currently help fight the aggressor’s energy terror.

The Head of State emphasized that after the liberation of the occupied territories, railway workers are trying to restore connections with the cities and districts from which the enemy was ousted as fast as possible.

“The work of our railway workers fully reflects the Ukrainian spirit – courage, zeal, selfless work, confidence that we will not give up our freedom to anyone,” the President stated.

Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov noted that with the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, Ukrzaliznytsia managed to adjust its work extremely quickly in accordance with the needs of the martial law.

“The transition to military rails happened very quickly. A lot has been done since February 24. This is both evacuation and support for the entire economy. We needed many things from the point of view of our exports. When the ports did not work, the railway worked, when there was no export of agricultural products by sea, the railway exported,” he said.

Oleksandr Kamyshin, Chairman of the Board at JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia”, noted that “iron” has become a national resource of Ukraine. The railway helps the Ukrainian army, in particular, more than 10,000 anti-tank hedgehogs were made from railway tracks throughout the country.

“When the war started, all railway workers from day one were doing what we now call “the backbone of the country’s security.” More than 4 million people were evacuated. Over a million children and over 120,000 pets. We saved everyone, everything we could,” said the head of Ukrzaliznytsia.

Also, according to him, Ukrzaliznytsia transported more than 300,000 tons of humanitarian cargo.

“Iron diplomacy” has become a good support for the President’s diplomatic front and has transported more than 200 delegations to date,” noted Oleksandr Kamyshin.

He said that despite the challenges of the war, constant enemy shelling of the railway infrastructure, the execution of the schedule of train movement is more than 85%.

“We will definitely be able to provide quality service to our citizens,” assured the Chairman of the Board of Ukrzaliznytsia.

The President of Ukraine thanked the railway workers for their selfless work.

“Glory to all our warriors who are fighting on the frontline! Glory to all our railway workers who are fighting at their workplaces,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

He presented state awards to the employees of Ukrzaliznytsia, who were celebrated for their personal contribution to the development of railway transport, dedication and high professionalism demonstrated in ensuring the functioning of railway infrastructure facilities under martial law.

“People on the ground showed real heroism. And today we will celebrate such people with awards. I will do it with honor and pleasure,” the Head of State emphasized.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 3 November 2022.

Head of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak held a meeting with the heads of delegations of NATO member states to the headquarters of the Alliance, who are on a working visit to Ukraine.

Representatives of ten foreign countries took part in the meeting: Permanent Representative of Albania to NATO Visho Ajazi Lika, Permanent Representative of Bulgaria to NATO Zlatin Krastev (Chargé d’affaires a.i.), Permanent Representative of Estonia to NATO Jüri Luik, Permanent Representative of Latvia to NATO Edgars Skuja, Permanent Representative of Lithuania to NATO Deividas Matulionis, Permanent Representative of Poland to NATO Tomasz Szatkowski, Permanent Representative of Slovakia to NATO Peter Bator, Permanent Representative of North Macedonia to NATO Dane Taleski, Permanent Representative of Romania to NATO Dănuţ-Sebastian Neculăescu, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to NATO Jakub Landovský, as well as Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva and Head of Ukraine’s Mission to NATO Nataliia Galibarenko.

Andriy Yermak noted the importance of their visit to Ukraine at a time when our capital and other cities are facing another wave of Russian attacks with missiles and drones. According to him, such visits are a powerful signal of support for our country from the countries – members of the Alliance.

The Head of the President’s Office informed the interlocutors about the current situation at the front, noting the advance of Ukrainian troops in the south of the country with the aim of de-occupying Ukrainian lands.

“We liberate parts of our territory every day. The situation in Donbas remains very difficult, in particular in the Bakhmut region, where a significant number of Russian forces is concentrated,” he said.

Andriy Yermak emphasized the need to develop a strong position of NATO member countries on a number of important issues.

“Especially with regard to these air attacks by missiles and drones, as well as with regard to the recent attempts of illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories by Russia,” said the Head of the President’s Office.

He reminded that at the end of September, Ukraine submitted an application to join NATO, and many countries already uphold the possibility of our country becoming a member of the Alliance. But such a decision requires the consensus of all NATO member countries. Andriy Yermak also expressed hope for the formation of wider support within the Alliance for Euro-Atlantic perspectives of Ukraine.

“We expect confirmation of the Alliance’s open door policy in the context of Ukraine’s application for membership, as well as the expansion of assistance to Ukraine to strengthen air defense. In addition, we expect progress in the dialogue with NATO member countries regarding security guarantees,” he noted and recalled that an international group of experts co-chaired by Andriy Yermak and former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen developed recommendations on security guarantees for Ukraine, which can become the basis of the Kyiv Security Compact.

Andriy Yermak also emphasized the importance of rebuilding Ukraine and eliminating the consequences of the Russian invasion. According to him, two major conferences were held in Lugano and Berlin, dedicated to the plan for the restoration of our state. However, now the Ukrainian side is focused on the implementation of the Fast Recovery Plan.

“Because 24/7 we live in a situation where all our services are working to provide citizens with light and heat, so that people have a place to live,” he explained.

In addition, the Head of the President’s Office emphasized the importance of a clear and powerful reaction by the leaders of NATO member states to the nuclear blackmail and threats of the Russian Federation.

“These eight months, during which Ukraine, with the support of its partners, is resisting Russian aggression, have shown that it is possible not to be afraid, and confirmed the leadership of NATO as the most powerful military and political alliance in the world,” Andriy Yermak noted.

“Ukraine demonstrates that it can successfully fight the aggressor and confirms that it is capable of winning with the help of its partners. We are sure of our victory,” added the Head of the Office of the President.

Andriy Yermak expressed his conviction that Ukraine, which will become a member of the Alliance in the future, will only strengthen its positions.

Deputy Head of the Office of the President Ihor Zhovkva informed foreign partners about the initiative of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding the conclusion of joint declarations on the Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine.

“The first such declaration was signed between Ukraine and the Czech Republic at the beginning of this week. I hope that your countries will also support this initiative,” he said.

In addition, Ihor Zhovkva emphasized the importance of our country receiving from the Alliance as soon as possible means to counter UAVs in the framework of NATO’s Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 3 November 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy decided to create a special Working group to prepare proposals for providing assistance to countries suffering from an acute food crisis. The Head of State signed the corresponding decree on November 3, 2022.

The working group is chaired by Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak. It includes representatives of the Office of the Head of State, the Cabinet of Ministers, and several other state institutions. In addition, representatives of foreign countries, international organizations and experts will be included in the working group, who will contribute to the fulfillment of the tasks assigned to the group.

Due to the full-scale military invasion of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, the number of people in the world facing acute food insecurity will increase by 47 million this year, from 276 million to 323 million, according to the UN.

It is the Russian war against Ukraine that caused a severe food crisis in the world with food prices increasing globally. Ukraine aims to improve global access to food, especially for the poorest and most vulnerable segments of the global population, by providing these nations with Ukrainian grain.

In accordance with the President’s decree, the working group must work out and make proposals regarding the provision of Ukrainian agricultural products to the states suffering from an acute food crisis.

The working group must also ensure monitoring of the effectiveness of measures taken to help such states.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 3 November 2022.

Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak held a meeting of the working group on developing proposals for Ukraine’s participation in the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions.

Andriy Yermak emphasized that Ukraine had put a huge effort into gaining membership in the OECD Working Group.

“We have one of the most advanced anti-corruption infrastructures, which is fully prepared to investigate bribery in international business transactions,” he said.

The Head of the President’s Office noted that today Ukraine shows the whole world an example of a state that not only repels the attack of an aggressor during war, but also does everything possible to join international anti-corruption organizations and meet international standards in this sphere.

“We are working on a recovery plan, we need investments. And there will be investments if everyone is sure that this whole structure of ours works and we are fully responsible, and that our foreign investors can feel completely protected,” Andriy Yermak is convinced.

He emphasized that for Ukraine, joining anti-corruption organizations is related not only to an institutional issue, but also to the development of the state.

Chair of the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions Drago Kos, who took part in the meeting via video conference, highly praised the work of the Ukrainian delegation at the Working Group meeting held in Paris. He noted that our country received a questionnaire on joining the OECD Working Group, which consists of legal and economic parts.

Deputy Head of the Office of the President Andriy Smyrnov informed about the progress of the Working Group since the previous meeting. According to him, a wide public discussion regarding the importance of the Working Group in the fight against corrupt influences, as well as a meeting with representatives of the diplomatic corps were held.

The meeting participants heard information about the work of the Ukrainian delegation at the meeting of the OECD Working Group in Paris. In particular, a number of bilateral meetings were held in order to inform foreign colleagues about the legislative developments of Ukraine and exchange experience in the fight against corruption.

Polina Lysenko, a member of the Working Group, noted that a response to the questionnaire on joining the OECD Working Group has been prepared. The comments and suggestions of representatives of state authorities are taken into account.

The parties also discussed legislative proposals on improving criminal liability for bribing officials of foreign states and changing the approach to the issue of taxation.

Summing up, Andriy Yermak called on the representatives of the Working Group to promptly submit the filled-in questionnaire to the OECD Secretariat.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 3 November 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasizes that in case the Russian Federation uses nuclear weapons against Ukraine, the world will change forever, and it will have devastating consequences for Russia itself.

“The use of nuclear weapons already indicates that this is a nuclear war, the Third World War. What to talk about then? What is the difference what will be after World War III? If Russia uses nuclear weapons, the world we live in will no longer exist. That is, there will be a completely different world, in which the state that used nuclear weapons will definitely not exist. I am absolutely sure of this,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized during a conversation with media representatives following the negotiations with President of Greece Katerina Sakellaropoulou in Kyiv.

According to the Head of State, such a step will have a devastating effect on the processes within Russia itself.

“They will retain neither their state nor their political positions within the state. I think they will be dealing with the revolutionary processes within their state,” said the President of Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that, on the one hand, it is difficult to consider the scenario of the use of nuclear weapons seriously, but at the same time, it is difficult to call the steps taken by the military and political leadership of Russia on Ukrainian soil adequate or dictated by military necessity.

The President expressed his conviction that the war in Ukraine was a losing battle for Russia from the very beginning, and it is only a matter of time before the Russian Federation realizes its defeat.

“We fight for freedom, and freedom always prevails. It is also a matter of time. We are on our land. The war is one-sided – they came to our land. This is aggression recognized by the whole world. So, once again, the restoration of our territorial integrity is a matter of time,” the Head of State emphasized.