Category: Press Releases

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

Under the chairmanship of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a meeting was held to prepare our country for future membership in the European Union after obtaining the status of a candidate for EU membership.

The meeting was also attended by Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak and his deputies, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, MPs and government officials, heads of law enforcement and judicial authorities.

The President congratulated the attendees on obtaining the status of a candidate for EU membership and thanked them for the work that has been done to achieve this historic decision.

“But we must not stop. Tasks were set, we gave our people important promises. We do not change this course,” the Head of State stressed.

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the tasks for all branches of government must be clearly defined in order to move quickly towards full membership in the EU.

Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna noted that a very good sectoral base of relations between our country and the EU has already been developed, which will help pass certain procedures faster.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal reported that the implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU is underway. According to him, the candidate status allows Ukraine to start sectoral negotiations, and today the work is underway in eight areas.

In particular, it concerns the accession to the Convention on the Common Transit Procedure (NCTS) – the so-called customs visa-free regime. At the end of June, the final assessment mission of Ukraine’s readiness to join the NCTS took place online, which provided a positive conclusion. The relevant law is expected to be adopted in the second reading.

Another area is preparation for the signing of the Agreement on Liberalization of Road Transport, which is to take place in the coming days. Due to this, transport permits will not be required for Ukrainian companies.

According to Denys Shmyhal, it is also important to create a common roaming space between Ukraine and the EU. This means that Ukrainians will not pay for roaming in the European Union, and EU citizens will not pay for roaming in Ukraine.

In addition, preparations are underway for our country to join the single zone of payments in euros without a fee, which will be felt by our citizens both domestically and abroad.

The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of integrating Ukraine’s energy system with the energy network of continental Europe, especially in the context of expanding exports, for which a corresponding conclusion has already been obtained.

The conclusion of an agreement on the so-called industrial visa-free regime for opening mutual access to industrial markets, Ukraine’s integration into the EU digital market, joining all European “green course” initiatives are also important.

The President discussed with the participants of the meeting the draft laws for European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine identified as a priority for 2022.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba informed about the work with the EU member states to maintain support for Ukraine’s European integration.

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

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with American actor, film director, screenwriter and producer, Oscar winner Sean Penn who arrived in our country to shoot a documentary.

The President thanked the famous actor and film director for the attention and support he has provided to Ukraine since the beginning of the war.

Sean Penn, for his part, expressed an intention to visit settlements in Ukraine affected by Russian aggression.

“Sean, we are very interested in showing the world what happened around Kyiv. I know you were here in the early days of this war. Much has changed in Kyiv. But there are some cities around Kyiv that are very important to show to the world – to show what Russia has done,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The American actor and film director visited Ukraine on the first day of the large-scale Russian invasion on February 24. Sean Penn aimed to record the events in our country to tell the world the truth about Russian aggression. At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Sean Penn had a brief meeting.

In June, the CORE organization founded by Sean Penn held a charity evening in support of Ukraine. During the evening, Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the attendees.

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

Any actions in the temporarily occupied territory of Moldova – in Transnistria, which will threaten Ukraine, will receive an appropriate response, however, destabilization in this region should be avoided. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting with media representatives following negotiations with Moldovan President Maia Sandu in Kyiv.

He said that at a meeting with his Moldovan counterpart, the issue of threats from the territories temporarily occupied by Russia was discussed.

“If it happens, I think it’s a global mistake. We receive certain signals, they are unpleasant. But these people in Transnistria should know: for us it will be not a strike, but a slap. And we will definitely respond with a strike,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, answering journalists’ questions about whether he has information about a possible strike from Transnistria.

At the same time, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed the need to maintain a stable situation in the region.

“I believe that first of all we should all make efforts to prevent destabilization in the region. We demonstrate this in every possible way. We are currently fighting with Russia on our land, although you have seen repeated missile strikes from Belarus as well,” he said.

The President also noted that the Belarusian people do not support the war against Ukraine, and shelling and attacks from the territory of Belarus are carried out by Russian troops.

Maia Sandu, for her part, noted that Moldova is monitoring the situation in Transnistria, and assured that in the event of threats, her country will inform its partners.

“We would like to make sure that there is no situation that could destabilize the situation. Our institutions continue to monitor the situation, and, of course, if something happens that causes concern, we will take action and inform our partners,” said the President of Moldova.

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

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu, who is on a visit to our country.

The President of Ukraine noted the significance of Maia Sandu’s visit immediately after the European Union made a historic decision to grant Ukraine and Moldova the status of EU candidates.

“I am confident that thanks to the success of European integration, our countries will become even closer. We will definitely share our experience on the way to full membership in the European Union,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed during a meeting with media representatives following talks with the President of Moldova in Kyiv.

According to him, both countries have threats based on Russian aggression and Russian policy, so the responses of Ukraine and Moldova to these threats should be common.

The President noted that Maia Sandu visited the Kyiv region today and saw the consequences of a full-scale Russian invasion.

“We must do everything possible together so that Russian aggression cannot threaten anyone in Europe anymore – neither Ukraine, nor Moldova, nor any other country,” he said.

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine and Moldova should strengthen cooperation in the humanitarian sphere, economy, energy, politics, cross-border cooperation, as well as cooperation in the security sphere, which is now a priority.

In particular, during the negotiations the parties discussed resistance to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Transnistrian issue settlement.

“Ukraine is the guarantor of this settlement and will actively help Moldova in the future,” the Ukrainian Head of State stressed.

The Presidents also discussed the issue of Ukrainian transit through the territory of the Republic of Moldova, energy cooperation, which is extremely important for the whole of Europe to achieve independence from Russian energy resources.

“After the successful connection of the energy systems of Ukraine and Moldova to the common continental European energy system, today we have many new opportunities in the market of the so-called energy EU and in bilateral cooperation. Our common task is to make the most of these new opportunities,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

In addition, the parties agreed to create new transit routes and expand the export transit potential, in particular by facilitating the border crossing between the two countries.

“I confirmed to Mrs. President that Ukraine is ready to help with the reconstruction of the Moldovan railway. We also agreed to start the reconstruction of the Berezyne-Basarabeasca railway section to enhance the transport potential of both countries,” the President of Ukraine said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Maia Sandu for the decision to send a sapper unit to help with demining in Ukraine, as well as for helping Ukrainians who were seeking protection from Russian aggression in Moldova.

“Our nations feel that only together can we overcome threats of such magnitude as the Russian Federation has created against us,” he said.

For her part, President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu noted that her country highly appreciates the feat of the Ukrainian people, who are fighting for freedom and the future.

“Fighting for their freedom, Ukrainians are also fighting for their neighbors in Europe. We in Moldova understand and deeply appreciate this,” she said.

Maia Sandu stressed that Moldovan government institutions, charitable foundations, volunteer groups and ordinary citizens have joined forces to help people who fled Ukraine because of the war. The Moldovan government has also provided humanitarian assistance to Vinnytsia, Odesa, Chernivtsi, and the Mykolaiv region.

She noted that Moldova is ready to provide support in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine.

According to the President of the Republic of Moldova, her country is also ready to assist Ukraine in the transit of goods whose exports have been suspended due to the blockade of Ukrainian ports by Russia.

Maia Sandu thanked Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the development of Ukrainian-Moldovan bilateral relations and congratulated Ukraine on receiving the status of a candidate for EU membership, emphasizing that this is a historic decision for both countries.

The President of Moldova noted that during the meeting with the President of Ukraine they had agreed to cooperate in the implementation of reforms that would bring the membership of both countries in the European Union closer.

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

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in Kyiv with Senator James Risch, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The President noted the importance of the US Senator’s visit at this difficult time for our country and stressed that bicameral and bipartisan support for Ukraine is vital today.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed about the situation on the front, as well as about the recent missile strikes that demonstratively took place on the eve of important events, including the G7 and NATO summits, which is a security challenge not only for Ukraine, but also for the entire European continent.

The President stressed that this should not be left without a firm response from the civilized world – the aggressor must be punished.

The importance of recognizing Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism was also noted during the conversation.

The parties discussed the deepening of bilateral cooperation in the defense sphere, the strengthening of sanctions and the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine.

“I am sincerely grateful to the President, Congress and the entire American people for their extensive security and financial support,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

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

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in the G7 Summit in Germany in a video conference format.

He thanked the G7 countries for the defense and financial support for Ukraine during the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, as well as for the consistent sanctions policy against the aggressor country.

The President stressed the importance of the decision to grant Ukraine the status of a candidate for accession to the European Union.

“This decision fully reflects our progress in European integration, our contribution to the protection of European values, which we are all talking about,” the President said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested that G7 leaders focus on concrete steps that could be useful both for Ukraine and for the whole of Europe.

In particular, the President invited the G7 to join the work on security guarantees for Ukraine. The Head of State stressed that these guarantees in the future will prevent conflicts such as Russian aggression.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also noted that our state needs modern and effective missile defense systems that can provide peace to Ukrainian cities far from the front. According to him, Russia is intensifying missile attacks on Ukraine, so it is very important to guarantee basic security to the civilian population. The Head of State stressed that the return of people to work will allow the start of economic processes in settlements, as today the monthly budget deficit of our country is USD 5 billion.

The President of Ukraine also stressed the importance of unblocking the export of Ukrainian grain and called for consideration of effective mechanisms to ensure food security in the world.

In addition, the President stressed the need to increase sanctions pressure on Russia, in particular by forcibly limiting the price of Russian oil exported. Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope that the US Department of State would endorse the decision to recognize Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. The President also suggested creating an effective global mechanism for confiscating frozen or seized Russian assets, which should become one of the biggest tools to deter other potential aggressors from attacking neighbors.

He called on the G7 countries to encourage their companies to consider Ukraine as an alternative to the Russian direction. According to the President, after the war, the Ukrainian state will have much better access to the global market compared to the aggressor country. In addition, Ukraine has duty-free access to the markets of leading democracies.

The President also noted the importance of post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, this will be the largest economic project of our time, participation in which will significantly strengthen the G7 countries.

The Summit is attended by President of the United States Joseph Biden, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson, Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz, President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi, Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Charles Michel.

 

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

Wife of the President of Ukraine Olena Zelenska spoke to journalists of the popular TV program C à vous aired on France 5 TV channel and the leading French newspaper Le Monde founded by Charles de Gaulle in 1944.

The First Lady spoke, in particular, about the psychological support program for Ukrainians and their condition.

“A lot of people are experiencing the well-known survivor syndrome now. But this is wrong: you survived – so you gave the country an opportunity to live on. You can’t blame yourself,” she said.

The President’s wife thanked France for the warm welcome of Ukrainian forcibly displaced persons, and personally First Lady Brigitte Macron for meeting children with oncology evacuated from Ukraine to France for treatment, and urged Europeans not to get accustomed to the war.

“At a time when you have an ordinary day – good or bad, weekday or weekend – we have people, children dying. Children like the French, who go to school and clubs, love TikTok and spend time online, believe that the world is open to them… It’s very difficult to realize, I know. The human psyche always wants to protect itself from what hurts. But it is impossible to isolate oneself from war in the modern world. The world simply has no walls from this,” Olena Zelenska stressed.

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

Gamarjоba saqаrtvelo!

I would like everyone to hear me today. We are free people and free countries! And this is forever.

I am grateful to the sons of Georgia who are fighting against Russia together with our warriors. Their exploits are our common exploits. Their wounds are our wounds. And our victory will be the victory of each of them, each of you!

We will never give up, because Donbas and Crimea are our land just as Abkhazia and South Ossetia are your land. And even if someone wants to forget about it, if someone wants to erase it, we will definitely remind them of it. We will stand by you!

Yesterday, Ukraine became a candidate for EU membership. You are on this path. Act! We will help you!

Ukraina da saqartvelo ertad, mudam! dideba saqartvelos! dideba ukrainas!

And even if my Georgian was not perfect now, my thoughts are pure.

I wish you success!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

The European Union, the United States and other partners in Ukraine must complete the strengthening of sanctions against the Russian Federation by imposing a limit on the price of seaborne crude oil, which still brings income to the Russian military machine. This is stated in a joint article by President’s Adviser on Economic Affairs Oleg Ustenko and Minister of Energy German Galushchenko for the international media organization Project Syndicate.

The authors note that the West has made significant progress in developing sanctions that could prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war of aggression in Ukraine. The financial sanctions imposed after the Russian invasion were effective, as the freezing of Russia’s central bank reserves largely eliminated much of the country’s buffer against shocks. The ruble’s stability has since rested merely on strong capital controls and the continued inflow of hard currency from the sale of oil and gas.

After much debate, EU member states decided to stop buying Russian oil transported by ship, starting just over five months from now. Given that Russia is still exporting around 1.25 million barrels per day to the EU by sea, curtailing these shipments could have a major impact on Putin’s revenue stream, the ruble’s strength, and the already-fragile Russian financial system.

But, according to Oleg Ustenko and German Galushchenko, it is unacceptable to wait five months before hobbling the Russian military vehicle.

“Every day, more Ukrainians are being killed by Russian forces. We cannot wait. We need the final piece of the strategy to lower the price paid to Russia for its crude and refined products, thereby limiting the Kremlin’s revenues,” the authors note.

In May, the EU alone imported more than $5 billion worth of Russian crude by sea, and it is on track to purchase a similar amount in June.

According to the authors, a complete zero-shipment embargo that outlaws oil exports by ship in EU-owned vessels to the rest of the world would likely drive up the price of oil. That would cause economic pain around the world and increase the revenue of Russia. Therefore, this decision must be adapted to the new conditions.

Immediate measures must be taken to limit the price Russia receives for a barrel of oil sold.

“We support recent proposals by US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi that would cap the price that Russia receives per barrel of oil. The EU could do this by leveraging its buying power over the next five months, and by exploiting the fact that most Russian oil – around 70% – is carried in ships that are owned, insured, and financed by entities in the EU, the United Kingdom, and other allied countries. These measures are being actively discussed among EU members, and we would encourage all other countries to line up behind them,” the authors note.

According to the experts, the marginal cost of production in existing Russian oil fields is exceptionally low, so the price cap could be set at rock-bottom levels to squeeze revenues of Vladimir Putin’s regime. Therefore, oil would continue to be supplied to the international market, preventing a short-run negative effect on price levels worldwide.

This price cap could be implemented in several ways, either as a direct restriction or as a tariff. The advantage of a tariff or tax-type structure is that it would generate revenue that could be used to cover the costs of hosting the roughly five million Ukrainian refugees who are currently sheltering in the EU, or to help other low-income people who have been hit hard by the consequences of Vladimir Putin’s war of aggression.

According to the authors, if Russia refuses to supply oil at this lower price and stops the production, it will damage its oil wells and effectively resign its membership in OPEC+. The loss to the Russian economy would be immediate, and the pressure on the ruble would become immense.

“Without hard currency, Putin would have a difficult time buying components for his rockets and other weaponry from other countries. Without government revenue, Russia will need to print more money to support its war effort – causing its inflation to accelerate and leading to its subsequent collapse,” Oleg Ustenko and German Galushchenko summed up.

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

Italy’s defense and political support for Ukraine is an investment in its own security and the common free future of both countries. This was stated by Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak in an interview with the TV project Porta a Porta of the Italian TV channel Rai 1.

“We are very grateful to the Italians, to the Italian government, to all of you for what you are doing for Ukraine. We will never forget that. We are grateful for the weapons and the loud voice in support of granting Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU membership. But please understand: this is not a charity, but an investment in your own security, in our common peace, in our common free future,” Andriy Yermak said.

The Head of the President’s Office noted that today the Russian aggressor is trying to occupy the entire territory of Ukraine, as happened with Crimea and part of Donbas.

Commenting on the impact of the war in Ukraine on the economic situation in Italy, Andriy Yermak stressed that today Ukrainians are giving their lives for the future of Europe.

“Sometimes you pay with money, and Ukrainians pay with their lives. And not just for themselves. One of the hits of the very popular Italian singer Mina has the following lines: Non cambi mai. These words can be addressed to Russia: “You never change.” So if they succeed in Ukraine now, Russia will not stop. And the Italians will have to pay more. And it will be good, if only with money,” Andriy Yermak said.

The Head of the President’s Office stressed that Ukraine will fight the Russian aggressor as long as it takes to win.

“We are not afraid of anyone, we are fighting for our country, for our land. We don’t need someone else’s property. We are fighting for what is ours,” Andriy Yermak said.

According to him, for more than three months Ukraine has been proving on the battlefield that the truth is on its side, and that is why the support for our country by European partners is very important today.

“If we receive all the support we have agreed upon and which was confirmed by our partners in time, our victory will be faster. And the risks for the whole of Europe that this war will engulf other countries will be reduced,” the Head of the President’s Office stressed.

Andriy Yermak noted the importance of the visits of European leaders to Ukraine, in particular the visit of the Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi, which took place last week. According to the Head of the Office of the President, the Italian Prime Minister had an opportunity to see the consequences of the crimes of the Russian occupiers during his visit to the suburbs of Kyiv.

“There is only one way out (of the situation related to Russian aggression – ed.) – our victory. And our victory will be yours as well,” the Head of the President’s Office emphasized.

He noted that he has special respect for the history of Italy and the traditions of this country, so he delivered part of his speech on the air in Italian.

“I want to say that I have been to Italy many times, and each time it impressed me with something. Nature. Culture. History. People. But most of all – your sincerity and hospitality. And, probably, these features are what unite our peoples the most,” Andriy Yermak said.