Category: Press Releases

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 29 October 2022.

The head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, called on the world community to increase pressure on the Russian Federation and increase the amount of aid to Ukraine, because only the defeat of the aggressor will make it impossible to wage similar wars against other countries of the world. He stated this participating online in a roundtable organized by the U.S. Brookings Institution.

About 50 scientists, public figures and opinion leaders took part in the event. The meeting was moderated by Vice President, Director of Foreign Policy program of the Brookings Institution, Suzanne Maloney.

Yermak said that the Ukrainian army is liberating our land from the occupiers step by step, while the Russian troops are losing the initiative in the war. Being aware of the inevitability of defeat, the aggressor attacks peaceful Ukrainian cities, hits civilian objects (houses, hospitals, schools), tries to destroy the power grid so that Ukrainians are left without electricity and heat.

“But it must be understood: what is happening between Russia and Ukraine is not a conflict over territory. For Russia, this is a war of destruction. For us, this is a war for survival. And while they are trying to abolish us as a state and a nation, any agreements with Russia will be doomed. They will allow Moscow to regroup and accumulate resources to start al again. This has already happened many times,” the head of the President’s Office said.

He emphasized the need to enhance pressure on the aggressor and increase aid to Ukraine.

“It is in the interests of the whole world to minimize the Russian threat as much as possible. After all, Ukraine is not the only target of Russian aggression. This aggression is directed against the whole part of the world, which is used to living freely, comfortably and peacefully. Russia has blurred the line between peace and war. Russia has used everything as a weapon – from its own diasporas to mass media,” Yermak said.

According to him, artificial crises are also part of Russia’s efforts in the war against the entire free world.

“The Kremlin’s blackmail – both nuclear and manmade – is another attempt to get what it wants through negotiations. The response of the democratic world must be tough. And it should fully support Ukraine,” the head of the President’s Office added.

Yermak named five steps that should be taken to support our state and defeat the aggressor. First of all, he called on the world to help Ukraine in creating a reliable air and missile defense system to defend critical infrastructure and residential areas.

“Our children should go to school. Our people cannot listen to sirens in Kyiv and other cities of Ukraine all the time,” the head of the President’s Office said.

He said: Ukrainians overcome difficulties every day with cooking, heating their homes, ensuring their safety during missile attacks both day and night. Having comfortable and well-furnished homes, people are forced to cook food on a stove, spend the night in sleeping bags in corridors or basements, and not in their own beds, Yermak said.

The head of the Office of the President also called for providing conventional weapons for Ukraine without politically determined restrictions.

“Give us what we need and as much as we need. The timing of Ukraine’s restoration of control over its entire territory depends on this,” Yermak said.

In addition, he called for a faster completion of the process of recognizing the Russian regime as a terrorist and for further strengthening of sanctions pressure on Russia, introduction of effective secondary sanctions against those states and bodies that help it.

It is also necessary to restart the entire complex of international humanitarian organizations to fix their algorithms, which Russia has hacked. They should become an effective mechanism for the protection and return home of thousands of Ukrainian hostages of the Kremlin, the head of the President’s Office is convinced.

Considering the foregoing, Yermak called for the provision of reliable security guarantees to Ukraine.

“Ukraine aspires to join NATO. But, unfortunately, it will not happen tomorrow. Therefore, for the transition period, we need our partners and allies to make every effort to help Ukraine realize its right to self-defense,” the head of the Office of the President said, adding that the mechanism, which can ensure this, is the prepared initiative of the Kyiv Security Compact.

“It was often said that Russia should not win this war. It must be understood that the only way to avoid its repetition is to ensure Ukraine’s victory. Any other option will encourage the Russian regime to continue,” Yermak said.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 28 October 2022.

Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva had a phone call with Christian Danielsson, Minister for EU Affairs of the recently elected government of the Kingdom of Sweden headed by Ulf Kristersson.

The interlocutors exchanged views on the situation with Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine and agreed on the need to increase international pressure on the aggressor country and make every effort to preserve European unity on the issues related to the international isolation of the Russian Federation, increased sanctions pressure, and the achievement of full independence from Russian energy resources.

Ihor Zhovkva noted Sweden’s strong political and practical support for Ukraine in defending independence, as well as readiness to actively participate in the post-war reconstruction of our country.

The main focus was on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and the priorities of Sweden’s Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2023. The parties coordinated their positions on achieving Ukraine’s progress on the European integration path and agreed to deepen the dialogue in this direction.

“Sweden’s Presidency of the Council of the EU should be marked by the start of negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and serve as a driving force for continued and comprehensive support for Ukraine by the European community,” Ihor Zhovkva emphasized.

The interlocutors agreed on the need for further integration of Ukraine into the EU internal market and the implementation of necessary reforms. Sweden’s experience in this field is especially valuable for our country.

“We expect that we will be able to use Sweden’s practical experience of joining the European Union to achieve further progress on the European integration path,” summed up the Deputy Head of the President’s Office.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 28 October 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Decree № 742/2022 on conferring the honorary title of the Rescuer City upon the city of Prague.

The title celebrates the solidarity of the local authorities, residents and volunteers of Prague with the Ukrainian people, the comprehensive large-scale assistance to the citizens of Ukraine who were forced to leave their homeland as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, as well as the strong support for our state in protecting its independence and sovereignty.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, Prague has sheltered more than 100,000 Ukrainians who came to the Czech Republic in search of salvation. In total, the country gave shelter to more than 460,000 Ukrainian citizens.

The Czech Republic actively and decisively supports our country in countering the aggression of the Russian Federation and overcoming its consequences. The Czech Republic is also one of the leaders in providing security assistance to Ukraine.

Prague became the third city, after Poland’s Rzeszów and Przemyśl, to be awarded the honorary title of the Rescuer City.

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

American astronaut and former U.S. Navy captain Scott Joseph Kelly has joined the United24 fundraising platform. He will develop the “Medical aid” direction, and the first project will be fundraising for Type C ambulance vehicles. During an online meeting with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Scott Kelly discussed his ideas for supporting our country and developing United24.

“We are proud to have an ambassador like you, Scott. It is very important that famous people – not only stars, but also famous astronauts – join the platform. I am grateful that before becoming a United24 ambassador, you supported us, in particular on Twitter, and that you support Ukraine with real actions, helping our medical industry,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Scott Kelly is known not only for four flights into space and setting a record for a total stay in it for 520 days, 10 hours and 33 minutes. He also holds the record for continuous stay in orbit – 340 days in a row. The record-breaking astronaut holds the rank of captain in the U.S. Navy, as part of which he spent more than 3,500 hours in the sky on more than 30 types of aircraft and made more than 250 landings on an aircraft carrier.

Scott Kelly has supported Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion in word and deed. Over this time, he has raised 500,000 U.S. dollars to help Ukrainians. He also became famous throughout the world for his apt sarcastic comments under the posts of officials and propagandists of the occupying country in social networks.

In addition to such an impressive track record, Scott Kelly has a medical background. This, according to the new ambassador, dictated his desire to raise money for ambulances.

“When I was young, I worked in emergency medical care and as an ambulance driver and saw with my own eyes how timely medical care can save people’s lives. Later, when I was already an astronaut, I performed the role of crew medical officer. Ukrainian doctors today are real heroes who do miracles every day in incredibly difficult and dangerous conditions. I consider it my duty to support Ukraine, which is defending democracy from Russian aggression. I am also the first to make a monetary contribution of USD 65,000 for the purchase of an ambulance through President Zelenskyy’s United24 platform. I really hope that freedom-loving people around the world will join me in this fundraising!” said the astronaut.

United24 is a fundraising platform initiated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the main platform for collecting donations in support of Ukraine. In more than five months of operation, more than USD 210 million from citizens of 110 countries have been raised through United24. Among the ambassadors of the platform are outstanding athletes Andriy Shevchenko, Elina Svitolina and Oleksandr Usyk, creative director of Balenciaga Demna, American actors Liev Schreiber and Mark Hamill, band Imagine Dragons, singer and actress Barbra Streisand.

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

Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak took part in a video format in the Conference of Ombudspersons and NHRIs “Battle for Human Rights. Crimea. Ukraine. World”, which took place in Zagreb (Croatia) in continuation of the Parliamentary Summit of Crimea Platform.

Addressing the participants of the conference, Andriy Yermak noted that since Russia invaded Ukraine and occupied the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea eight years ago, at the end of February 2014, there are no legal norms left there that the Russian Federation had not violated.

“And today, in the ninth month of the full-scale war that Russia unleashed against Ukraine, I have to state: in Europe, in the 21st century, there are death camps again. They operate in Russia and in the Ukrainian territories it occupies. It’s hard to believe, it doesn’t fit in your head – but it’s a fact,” the Head of the President’s Office noted.

Andriy Yermak emphasized that Russia, as the legal successor of the USSR, is a party to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, including the Convention on the Treatments of Prisoners of War. However, it cynically violates the norms of this document.

“The United Nations and the International Red Cross Committee representatives are not allowed to visit the Ukrainian POWs. Russia is blocking the work of the UN Mission investigating the terror attack against Mariupol defenders kept in Olenivka detention facility. In that site alone, the Russian uniformed terrorists mercilessly killed about five dozen of our soldiers. Probably, they aimed to cover up other crimes,” Andriy Yermak said.

He emphasized: each of the places where Ukrainians are kept against their will is evidence of Russia’s impunity against international humanitarian law.

The Head of the President’s Office also recalled other Russia’s crimes: Russian uniformed terrorists destroyed dozens of settlements in Ukraine. They are methodically destroying our critical civilian infrastructure. They are hitting food and fuel storages, supermarkets, hospitals, universities and power plants. On the eve of winter, the Russians are trying to destroy our energy system.

“The world learned about town of Bucha because of the mass graves of civilians the Russian occupiers had tortured and murdered. But we see the same picture in nearly every liberated Ukrainian town,” Andriy Yermak stressed.

The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine called on the international community not to delay, but to act as actively as possible.

“We must rescue the Kremlin’s prisoners. Every day, every hour cost lives of our people. Human rights protection under occupation is one of the central challenges we are facing. And it is impossible to do without world solidarity and a thirst for justice,” he emphasized.

The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine presented the conference participants with a plan that includes a series of steps.

The First Point. Bring the issue of Olenivka, access to Ukrainian prisoners of war and protection of their rights to the global level. Adopt a joint declaration of ombudsmen.

“The document should resolutely condemn the war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide Russia commits against Ukrainians,” Andriy Yermak emphasized.

The Second. A large joint mission, including ombudspersons from different countries, must be sent to the contact line. It should be there until Russia provides access to places of forced detention of Ukrainian prisoners.

“We should also create international missions of obmudspersons seeking access to prisoners and civilian hostages of the Kremlin,” the Head of the President’s Office added.

The Third. It is worth introducing regular publication of thematic reports, which will consist of the testimonies of eyewitnesses in particular.

“And these are just a few tools that are already in your hands. If we don’t take immediate steps together, crematoria may appear in Russian death camps,” Andriy Yermak noted.

Following the Conference, representatives of national human rights institutions and ombudsmen approved a declaration in which they confirmed  the need to observe and prevent further human rights violations in the context of the ongoing Russian armed aggression against Ukraine and the violation of its territorial integrity, through the creation of an international consultation platform for cooperation.

The parties recognized that the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine is causing gross violations and abuses of human rights which has resulted in an ongoing humanitarian human rights crisis in Ukraine and in the world.

In the declaration, the participants called on the legislative bodies of their countries to initiate the development and adoption of documents aimed at protecting and ensuring human rights and preventing their violation. They also called on the governments to contribute to the provision, protection and prevention of violations of human rights, in particular the rights of Ukrainian citizens abroad.

In addition, the parties declared their readiness to contribute to the continuation of the policy of their states regarding the non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea and other Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation, as well as to spread the ideas of the territorial integrity of Ukraine and information about the inadmissibility of waging war in the modern world.

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

Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny had a phone talk with National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister of the UK Timothy Barrow.

Admiral Tony Radakin, Chief of the Defence Staff of the UK, also took part in the conversation.

Yermak highly praised the first telephone talks between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of the UK Rishi Sunak, which took place the day before. He said that during this talk, UK’s course in support of Ukraine and the continued bilateral cooperation was confirmed.

The head of the President’s Office emphasized the absurdity of the Russian leadership’s statements regarding Ukraine’s alleged intentions to create a “dirty bomb.” In view of this, Yermak said that our country is open to the visit of IAEA experts who will be able to testify to the groundlessness of such accusations.

The head of the Office of the President also noted the importance of holding an online NATO + Ukraine summit.

He expressed his gratitude to the UK, which is providing significant political and defense support to Ukraine, and noted the systematic coordination of the parties’ efforts in a wide range of issues.

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny briefed the interlocutors on the operational situation at the front and thanked the British partners for helping the Ukrainian defenders during the repulsion of Russian aggression.

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

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is satisfied with the quality of dialogue that has been achieved recently in cooperation between Ukraine and Israel. The Head of State said this during communication with media representatives after a meeting with President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Chairman of ECOWAS Umaro Sissoco Embaló in Kyiv.

“I’ll tell you honestly, I’m satisfied with the last few days. We started working. I won’t give details, because our intelligence was working, but I want to say: after a long pause, I see these steps forward,” Zelenskyy said, answering journalists’ questions.

At the same time, the President said that Ukraine expected closer cooperation with this country from the very beginning of the full-scale invasion, because Israel is a state that knows in detail what war and tragedy are, and Israeli society fully supports Ukrainians.

“We need Israel’s help and political leadership. And, as I said, it has started in recent days,” the Head of State said.

Zelenskyy said that the issue of bilateral cooperation between Ukraine and Israel has been discussed a lot, because there is a great desire for relations between the two states to be as warm as between societies. Zelenskyy noted a positive track regarding Israel.

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

Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak had a phone call with U.S. President’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, British Prime Minister’s National Security Adviser Timothy Barrow and French President’s Diplomatic Adviser Emmanuel Bonne.

Andriy Yermak informed the interlocutors about the situation on the frontline, as well as about the intensified shelling of Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure facilities by Russia with the use of missiles and Iranian kamikaze drones.

In this context, the urgent need to urgently receive from the partner states a sufficient number of air defense means to be able to effectively counter Russian missile terror was emphasized. The opinion was expressed that the development of an effective air defense system in Ukraine should become one of the elements of security guarantees.

The interlocutors separately discussed a block of issues related to the development of security guarantees for Ukraine in the context of the elaboration of the position document by the Yermak-Rasmussen International Expert Group.

During the negotiations, there was a thorough exchange of views regarding the latest provocative statements by the Russian side about the alleged intentions of Ukraine to use a “dirty bomb”. It was emphasized that such accusations are completely groundless and that they are part of a disinformation campaign conducted by Putin’s Russia against our state.

The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine spoke about measures to respond to such accusations by the Kremlin. The representatives of the USA, Great Britain and France were informed about the readiness to receive a delegation of IAEA experts who will be able to convince themselves of the groundlessness of the Russian accusations. The interlocutors highly praised Ukraine’s efforts to involve the Agency in solving this situation.

The parties agreed that the democratic world should do everything possible to prevent Russia from using nuclear weapons or a “dirty bomb” against our country.

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

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with influential representatives of the world’s Jewish communities, which was dedicated to the importance of protecting universal values, guaranteeing security and peace, and preserving historical memory.

In particular, the former Soviet political prisoner, minister and deputy prime minister in the governments of Israel, chairman of the executive board of the Jewish Agency for Israel Natan Sharansky took part in the meeting. President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder, ex-US Senator from Connecticut Joe Lieberman, Chief Rabbi of Kyiv, President of the Union of Jewish Religious Organizations of Ukraine Yaakov Dov Bleich took part in the meeting in a video call format.

The Head of State thanked the participants of the meeting for their constant attention and support for Ukraine, especially in the current difficult time.

“Your voice sounds weighty and always matters to public opinion. Therefore, I ask you to continue to spread the truth about the terror that Russia has brought and about the help we need,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The President noted that the people of Ukraine and Israel have a lot in common, they are united by historical memory, including the tragic pages of history, as well as the desire to guarantee security for people and their states. Therefore, today, at the time of heinous Russian aggression, Ukraine hopes for more decisive support from the State of Israel.

“Today we are fighting such a heinous phenomenon as rashism, and it cannot be overcome without a united position of the free democratic world. If Israel does not give a clear political assessment of the Russian Federation, new phenomena such as the alliance between Russia and Iran will emerge. They have already launched hundreds of Iranian Shahed kamikaze drones against us. Then we will fight against it post factum with the whole world,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted and emphasized the need to act more decisively and in unity already now.

Natan Sharansky expressed solidarity with the heroic struggle of the Ukrainian people, who today defend their future and the future of the entire free world. Therefore, it is the duty of all democratic countries without exception to support this struggle.

He emphasized that this is why the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center is implementing a project to collect evidence of crimes against humanity on the territory of Ukraine.

The Head of State noted that at this time it is extremely important to pay even more attention to the protection of historical memory and informing about the conclusions humanity has drawn from the large-scale tragedies of the XX century.

In view of this, the parties discussed the continuation of the construction project of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center.

“We have not forgotten and must implement this project. But for this we have to defend our state today,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The President of Ukraine thanked the supervisory board of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center and everyone involved for continuing work on the project.

For his part, Natan Sharansky, as the head of the supervisory board of the Memorial Center, emphasized the importance of remembering all the lessons of the Holocaust and preserving the memory of the heroism of Ukrainians.

Former US Senator Joe Lieberman thanked Volodymyr Zelenskyy for supporting the Babyn Yar Foundation.

“From the very beginning, we understood that it should be not just a museum in Kyiv, but such a living institution that would be engaged in advocacy and defense of rights considering what is happening in the world today,” he said.

President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder noted that today the main question for American society, for American Jews, is what they can do to help Ukraine, in particular, in the matter of preserving the memory of Babyn Yar.

“We are willing to work with the Ukrainian state, defend its interests to provide greater and faster support to your government and your army,” the President of the World Jewish Congress emphasized.

Member of the supervisory board of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center, businessman and philanthropist Viktor Pinchuk, who was also present at the meeting, noted that, unfortunately, today the world has witnessed a new genocide – in relation to the Ukrainian people. Therefore, these crimes must be recorded, and civilized countries, in particular Israel, must help Ukraine stop this genocide and terrorism.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 25 October 2022.

Germans and Ukrainians stand side by side!

We are connected by shared European values – freedom and democracy – and by a deep sense of solidarity in this time of war, caused by the brutal and illegal aggression of Russia against Ukraine.

Municipal partnerships are at the heart of our bilateral cooperation and an indispensable part of a vibrant Europe of civil societies, good governance and local democracy.

After the end of the Second World War, municipal partnerships helped to unite a divided Europe and promote peaceful cooperation. As Russia has brought war back to our continent, municipal partnerships have opened a new chapter of strength: German towns and cities have shown immense solidarity by giving refuge to Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s brutal aggression, municipal partnerships have provided a strong bridge to deliver aid and essential supplies, give advice and exchange experiences, and they have already started to make a contribution to the economic recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine.

As Presidents of Ukraine and Germany, we are grateful for the wealth of existing municipal partnerships and call for more towns and cities in Germany and Ukraine to join in new partnerships!

Municipal partnerships provide a concrete channel for solidarity in the face of war, they lay the foundation for a united future, and they send a clear signal to Moscow: Your war will not divide us – it will bring us closer together, as Germans and Ukrainians, as Europeans!

To lend visible and lasting support to our appeal, we, the Presidents of Ukraine and Germany, take on Patronage of the German-Ukrainian Municipalities Network. We encourage local governments and civil society leaders to join the Network and reach out to each other for the creation of new partnerships.

We are grateful to the German Association of Municipalities and to the German Federal Ministry for Development for administrative and financial support as well as to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine, which plays an important interlinking role between different levels of Ukrainian authorities in terms of the economic recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine.

We believe that European integration starts on the municipal level, and we therefore urge all German actors of the German-Ukrainian municipal partnerships to contribute to the future EU membership of Ukraine. Sharing of the best EU practices and supporting the alignment with EU standards can strengthen Ukraine’s European path.

In order to encourage active participation of German actors in the reconstruction of Ukraine, Federal President Steinmeier takes the opportunity of his visit to the Chernihiv region to assume symbolic patronage of the various German development and reconstruction efforts in the Chernihiv region. The President thereby wants to encourage new German-Ukrainian civil-society and municipal partnerships as well as German economic engagement and investment in the region, which has especially suffered due to the Russian invasion.

We thank all the passionate and committed men and women in both our countries who put so much energy into the German-Ukrainian friendship. The network of German and Ukrainian municipalities is essential for building and strengthening Europe – together.

We stand together and we will prevail together.