Category: Press Releases

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 19 August 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with representatives of Eurocities headed by Mayor of Florence, Italy, Dario Nardella.

The event was also attended by Head of the President’s Office, Chairman of the Presidium of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Andriy Yermak and Deputy Heads of the President’s Office Andriy Sybiha and Kyrylo Tymoshenko.

The President welcomed the Eurocities delegation to Ukraine and emphasized the importance of such visits at this difficult time, when our country is fighting against the Russian invasion. Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the governments and peoples of European countries for their support of Ukraine and our citizens.

“When we talk about aid and support – humanitarian, military, political – it is also important not to forget about help in rebuilding our cities and communities. And it is important that reconstruction should begin not after the war, but right now. It is necessary to provide humanitarian measures that will allow people in Ukraine to return to normal life,” the Head of State said.

The President thanked European cities for the shelter they provided to Ukrainian citizens who were forced to flee the war. At the same time, he noted that he seeks to create conditions for the return of Ukrainians to their homeland. That is why it is so important to restore the work of schools, kindergartens, universities and simply help people repair their houses destroyed as a result of Russian aggression.

“Now it is very difficult for us, for our budget. Because we spend almost all our funds on strengthening the army. So we will be grateful for your help,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

In the presence of the Head of State, Chairman of the Presidium of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak and President of Eurocities, Mayor of Florence Dario Nardella signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support the sustainable rebuilding of Ukrainian cities.

Andriy Yermak said that the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, which was created on the initiative of the President of Ukraine by analogy with the European institution, is a unique platform for communication between all branches of government: the President, the government, deputies of the Verkhovna Rada and representatives of local self-government – even from the smallest towns.

“This is especially important today, during this terrible full-scale war with Russia. Because it is the Congress that has become one of the rallying points of our entire society and takes an active part in the presidential program for the restoration of Ukraine,” said the Head of the Office of the President.

For his part, the President of Eurocities emphasized that the Association stands in solidarity with Ukraine during the difficult times of the war and provides support to Ukrainian cities and communities, as well as people who were forced to temporarily leave the country.

The President of the Association emphasized that the signed Memorandum will become an effective tool for supporting Ukrainian cities.

“We want to start this cooperation as soon as possible, to create the largest program of interaction between cities that we have ever seen in the history of Europe,” he said.

Dario Nardella emphasized that Eurocities is ready to share its expert experience for the reconstruction of Ukrainian cities.

Secretary of the Presidium of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Kyrylo Tymoshenko expressed his gratitude to the European partners for supporting initiatives in the framework of the Memorandum.

“I am convinced that with the help of our partners, after reconstruction, Ukrainian cities will not be inferior to many European cities in terms of convenience, modernity of architecture and innovations,” Kyrylo Tymoshenko emphasized.

According to the signed document, mayors and leaders of European and Ukrainian cities condemn the Russian war in Ukraine and call for the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops and the restoration of peace.

The memorandum states that the signatories seek to join forces to prepare and ensure the rapid and sustainable reconstruction of Ukrainian cities destroyed by the Russian invasion, which began on February 24, 2022.

“Our peer-to-peer support will speed up the rebuilding of urban areas, aligned with the objectives of the European Green Deal and values of the New European Bauhaus,” the document reads.

Under the Memorandum, Eurocities will rally together more than 200 of Europe’s large cities, standing in solidarity with fellow Ukrainian cities, for the implementation of reconstruction projects; pool and organize resources, including technical knowledge and expertise, best practices according to the requests for support from Ukrainian peers; provide assistance in identifying EU funding for the implementation of reconstruction projects, etc.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine, according to the Memorandum, will provide a list of the relevant critical reconstruction projects in Ukrainian cities destroyed during the Russian war; provide a convenient and transparent mechanism for financing reconstruction projects; promote the legislative initiatives needed to rebuild Ukrainian cities, etc.

The document stipulates the establishment of a joint taskforce comprising political representatives from Eurocities and Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine. The taskforce will oversee the development and implementation of this collaboration initiative and ensure coordination, including with the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for Ukraine.

The Memorandum of Understanding is valid from August 20. It will be assessed and renewed annually.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 18 August 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that during the negotiations with President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Lviv, considerable attention was paid to the issue of recovery of our state from the consequences of Russian aggression.

“I would like to separately note the very fruitful negotiations and our active cooperation with the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Mr. Erdoğan. We discussed in detail our relations – security, defense, diplomacy, economy, energy. We focused on the issue of rebuilding our state after hostilities. I am grateful to Türkiye for its willingness to take Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region under patronage,” said the Head of State during a meeting with media representatives following the negotiations in Lviv.

The President noted that during the meeting, an important Memorandum was signed between the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine and the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye on the recovery of Ukrainian infrastructure.

“Implementation of our agreements will significantly strengthen both Ukraine and the Republic of Türkiye. I am grateful for these negotiations, for the support. I am grateful to Lviv for welcoming us with such attention and warmth,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

For his part, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan noted that during the meeting with the President of Ukraine, important issues of bilateral cooperation were discussed.

The heads of state also discussed the scale of the disaster caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The President of Türkiye emphasized that his country will contribute to the implementation of projects for the reconstruction of destroyed objects.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 18 August 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and UN Secretary-General António Guterres during a tripartite meeting in Lviv discussed the grain export initiative, Russia’s dangerous actions around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the issue of protection and liberation of Ukrainian prisoners of war and the establishment of a Special Tribunal on the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Greeting the distinguished guests, Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that he appreciates their presence in our country and efforts to restore the international legal order, which was destroyed by Russian aggression against our state onoging for 176 days already.

“I am grateful for the strong and unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine from both the Secretary-General and the President,” said the Head of State during a meeting with media representatives following the tripartite negotiations in Lviv.

As Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted, today’s negotiations can open up significant prospects. In particular, the parties discussed the grain export initiative, which was launched thanks to joint efforts and which helps overcome the global food crisis.

“We outlined possible directions for the further development of the initiative – its improvement, increasing the level of security of its implementation. This is a global need – to increase the number of ships that safely export Ukrainian food. Our state is ready to be and will be the guarantor of global food security,” the President of Ukraine emphasized.

According to him, the distinguished guests, just as Ukrainians, condemn Russia’s theft of food in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine and emphasize the inadmissibility of any trade in stolen Ukrainian grain.

“We discussed in detail the nuclear blackmail of Russia around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Nuclear security is an absolute priority for everyone in the world, new challenges, and Russia must immediately and without any conditions withdraw its troops from the territory of the ZNPP, stop all provocations, all shelling. It is unacceptable that Russia is deliberately putting all of us on the brink of a global radiation disaster,” the President of Ukraine said.

As Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed, the parameters of a possible IAEA mission to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant were agreed with the UN Secretary-General – in a legal way through the territory free from the occupiers.

“Nuclear blackmail of Russia should definitely be a decisive argument for everyone who still doubted that Russia deserves official recognition as a terrorist state and the corresponding political and legal attitude,” he emphasized.

In addition, the interlocutors paid considerable attention to the issue of protection and liberation of Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia. The President of Ukraine called on António Guterres to take all possible measures and involve all UN mechanisms to return Ukrainians home.

“We agreed with Mr. Secretary-General on the need to send a fact-finding mission to Olenivka as soon as possible, where Russia committed one of the most heinous terrorist attacks against Ukrainians. And I emphasize: all international organizations must do everything in order to gain access to the places of detention of Ukrainian citizens, in particular, this applies to the so-called filtration camps,” said the President and expressed his belief that the international community has the power to force Russia to comply with the relevant conventions.

The parties also discussed the establishment of a Special Tribunal on the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine.

“I am convinced that without these instruments it will not be possible to restore the international legal order after this war and to protect international law from the encroachments of other potential terrorist states,” emphasized Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

He added that the President of Türkiye noted today that the food export initiative creates a diplomatic window for an agreement on the future end of the war between Ukraine and Russia.

“For my part, I told the President of Türkiye that there is no trust in the Russian Federation. I believe that there are Russian weapons in this window, and therefore I am very surprised that they are ready for some kind of peace. The one who rapes, hits our cities and civilian infrastructure with cruise missiles every day cannot strive for peace. So, it seems to me, they should leave our territories first, and then we will see,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan noted the importance of strengthening diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

He emphasized Türkiye’s unquestionable support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and expressed his condolences over casualties as a result of the missile attack on Kharkiv yesterday.

In addition, the leader of Türkiye expressed concern about the situation around the Zaporizhzhia NPP and emphasized the inadmissibility of repeating a tragedy similar to the accident at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan noted the importance of the results of the agreements, which made it possible to unblock the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, and emphasized that during today’s tripartite meeting, “the possibility of converting the positive atmosphere created by the agreements in Istanbul into a stable peace” was discussed.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the grain initiative signed in Istanbul an important document, the purpose of which is to help extremely vulnerable people from all corners of the world. He called on all parties to continue to take all measures to continue the implementation of this initiative.

António Guterres also emphasized that Russia’s invasion is a violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the UN Charter.

“This war has already led to a huge number of victims, to huge destruction, to the emergence of an internally displaced population. It is also accompanied by a significant violation of human rights. People need peace. Peace in accordance with the UN Charter and international law,” he said.

In addition, the Secretary-General of the United Nations expressed extreme concern about the situation around the Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.

He urged to refrain from any actions that could endanger the physical integrity and safety of the NPP, and stressed that its facilities should not be used during any military operations.

“It is necessary to ensure the withdrawal of equipment and personnel from the territory of the nuclear power plant. This territory must be demilitarized,” António Guterres is convinced.

The UN Secretary-General called the events that took place on July 29 in the occupied Olenivka in Donbas, where captive Ukrainian defenders were held, unacceptable.

As António Guterres reported, a decision was made to organize a mission to establish the facts and events in Olenivka. He emphasized that this mission should be able to find out all the facts and collect data.

“All prisoners of war receive protection in accordance with the norms of international humanitarian law. The International Committee of the Red Cross must gain access to prisoners of war, no matter where they are held,” the UN Secretary-General concluded.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 18 August 2022.

In Lviv, in the presence of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Infrastructure Recovery was signed, which provides for the participation of the Turkish side in the post-war reconstruction of our country.

The document was signed by Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov and Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye Mehmet Muş.

“Türkiyeis our strategic ally. We are grateful to our Turkish partners for their willingness to cooperate in the recovery of the infrastructure destroyed by Russia. The Turkish business has extensive experience in the construction of roads and bridges, in particular the Zaporizhzhia and Kremenchuk bridges, and has proven itself as a reliable partner. Therefore, we expect the concrete practical results of joint reconstruction shortly,” Oleksandr Kubrakov said.

It is envisaged that Turkish state and business structures will be able to develop specific recovery projects, as well as provide consulting and technical assistance.

As the first project, the reconstruction of the bridge in the village of Romanivka, Kyiv region, which connects Bucha and Irpin with the capital, is being considered. It was destroyed at the beginning of a full-scale Russian invasion, and in fact this stopped the aggressor’s advance on the capital.

In the near future, a joint Ukrainian-Turkish working group on reconstruction issues will be created, within which the mechanisms of attracting Turkish investments in specific projects will be worked out.

“We are conducting active negotiations with partner countries regarding their participation in the implementation of the Fast Recovery plan. In parallel with this, we are working on long-term projects for the restoration and transformation of Ukraine. I’m thankful to our partners for their support and interest in our initiatives,” noted Deputy Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Tymoshenko.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 18 August 2022.

In Lviv, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who arrived in our country on a visit.

The Head of State noted the importance of this visit: “This is a strong message of support from such a powerful country as Türkiye.”

Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the Republic of Türkiye for its constant support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

During a meeting, the interest in further reliable partnership with Türkiye was emphasized. The leaders discussed the entire complex of bilateral relations and agreed that further expansion of cooperation between the states would strengthen both sides.

The Presidents positively assessed the implementation of the grain export initiative. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted the leading role of Türkiye and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan personally in the launch and implementation of this initiative. The Head of State noted that it helps overcome the global food crisis.

The leaders discussed the possibility of improving the initiative, strengthening the security of its implementation and increasing the volume of relevant exports.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also discussed the issue of Russia’s large-scale theft of grain in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine. In particular, it was pointed out that the occupiers appropriated almost 0.5 million tons of grain. The leaders agreed that any trade in stolen goods is unacceptable.

“Russia’s attempts to sell stolen goods must be stopped,” emphasized Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The leaders also discussed the situation around the Zaporizhzhia NPP and nuclear blackmail by the Russian Federation whose actions threaten Ukraine and the whole world with catastrophe. Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that Russian nuclear blackmail at the Zaporizhzhia NPP is one of the biggest risks created by Russia’s war against Ukraine.

According to the Head of State, the mission and duty of every country should be a tough and consistent reaction to any manifestations of nuclear blackmail in order to stop it.

“Russia must withdraw its troops from the plant immediately,” the President of Ukraine emphasized.

In addition, the leaders touched upon the issues of defense interaction, discussed the prospects of cooperation in this direction.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope for the participation of the President of Türkiye in the second summit of the Crimea Platform.

The President of Ukraine personally and on behalf of his wife Olena thanked the First Lady of Türkiyefor her participation in the Kyiv Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, which was held recently.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 18 August 2022.

In Lviv, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres who is on a visit to our country.

The Head of State noted the key role of the UN and António Guterres personally in resolving the issue of unblocking Ukrainian ports for food exports. The parties agreed to continue active and comprehensive coordination of the implementation of the grain initiative.

“Ukraine is ready to continue to be a guarantor of global food security,” the President emphasized.

During the negotiations, possible directions for the further development of the initiative were outlined – its improvement and increase in the level of security of implementation. Increasing the number of ships that safely export Ukrainian food is a global need.

Special attention was paid to the issue of illegal and forced deportation of Ukrainian citizens to the Russian Federation and the protection of Ukrainians illegally detained in Russia. “I am asking you personally to help the UN representatives get permanent unhindered access to the deported Ukrainians,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

In this context, the President emphasized the importance of assistance from the UN in the liberation of Ukrainian servicemen and medics from Russian captivity. He also emphasized the need to observe the norms of the Geneva Conventions regarding prisoners of war, especially in the context of Russia’s detention of people in so-called filtration camps.

The Head of State separately informed the UN Secretary-General about the Russian nuclear blackmail at the Zaporizhzhia NPP, noting that this deliberate and cynical terror on the part of the aggressor could have catastrophic consequences for Ukraine and the whole world.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that the United Nations must ensure the security of this strategic object, its demilitarization and complete liberation from Russian troops. The President and the UN Secretary-General agreed upon the parameters of a possible IAEA mission to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. It must be carried out in a legal way through a territory free from occupiers.

António Guterres informed of the work on sending a UN fact-finding mission to Olenivka, where Russia committed a cynical terrorist attack against Ukrainian prisoners of war. Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed to include in the mandate of the mission the issue of compliance by the Russian side with the agreements reached in the context of the withdrawal of Ukrainian defenders from Azovstal, as well as to ensure the security and rights of all our prisoners of war.

The President of Ukraine informed António Guterres about the readiness of the Ukrainian state to take an active part in the next, 77th session of the UN General Assembly and to develop a number of important initiatives. It is primarily about working on legal mechanisms to hold Russia accountable, in particular the creation of a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression committed by a terrorist state against Ukraine, as well as a new international mechanism for compensation for damages caused by Russian aggression.

The Secretary-General assured the President of Ukraine that the UN system will provide the necessary direct assistance to the citizens of Ukraine to overcome humanitarian challenges in the winter period.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited António Guterres to participate in the online summit of the international Crimea Platform on August 23.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 18 August 2022.

As part of a working trip to the Lviv region, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Hetman Petro Sahaidachnyi National Ground Forces Academy and got himself acquainted with the organization of the educational process at the institution.

The Head of State talked with the staff of the academy. The President noted that all employees well understand the challenges facing Ukraine.

“You know who our enemy is, what he is capable of. You know that we are doing absolutely everything to win this war. You know that even after our victory, this neighbor of Ukraine will not disappear,” he said during his speech.

That is why, as Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and all those who can effectively defend our state on the battlefield are and will remain the foundation of the security of the Ukrainian people.

“And a patriotic, educated, competent and simply decent officer is and will always be a central figure in the defense system of Ukrainian statehood,” the President noted.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that the lives of soldiers and the outcome of hostilities largely depend on the quality of training of officers and the level of lecturers. He emphasized that during the years of independence, more than 10,000 high-class specialists for the Armed Forces were trained at the National Ground Forces Academy, and during the war, more than 1,500 graduates and lecturers of the institution were awarded state awards. 32 officers were awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine, nine of them posthumously.

“Ukraine will always remember its warriors, its heroes, who gave their lives for the freedom of our people,” said the Head of State.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed special gratitude to the lecturers who, from the first days of the full-scale invasion of Russia, became part of the consolidated rifle battalions formed on the basis of the academy and bravely defended the outskirts of Kyiv.

“The effective defense of Kyiv became one of the heroic pages in the history of the academy and will inspire future generations of Ukrainian cadets who will study right here, in the city of Lviv, in the united, free and independent Ukraine,” he emphasized.

At the end of the meeting, the President presented lecturers and cadets with state awards.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 18 August 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy started a working trip to the Lviv region. After arriving in Lviv, the Head of State listened to the report of the local leadership on the organization of the evacuation of citizens from war zones.

In total, since the beginning of the war, more than 3.8 million people have been evacuated by railway, including 600,000 – abroad. Temporary accommodation points were set up for them, food, medical assistance and further transportation to other countries, if there was such a desire, was provided to them, too.

Evacuation from Lviv outside Ukraine was carried out by trains and buses. More than 76,000 citizens were transported by bus.

Currently, on the initiative of the President’s Office at the Lviv railway station, evacuees are provided with assistance in obtaining temporary housing in safer regions in the framework of the “Where they are waiting for you” program.

The President also visited servicemen wounded during hostilities, who are being treated in one of the city’s medical facilities.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy inquired about their well-being, thanked them for their service and selfless defense of the Homeland, and presented state awards.

The Head of State was told that since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine, more than 9,000 servicemen (more than 3,400 wounded, about 2,100 traumatized and almost 3,600 sick) have undergone treatment at the medical facility.

In addition, the President took part in a ceremony honoring the memory of Ukrainian warriors who died in the war against the Russian invaders.

The ceremony took place on the Field of Mars of the Lychakiv Cemetery. Those killed in the Russian-Ukrainian war have been buried in the central part of the cemetery since April 2022.