PRESS RELEASE : President of Ukraine and the Director General of the International Organization for Migration discussed the support for Ukrainians suffering from the war [September 2022]

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 12 September 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) António Vitorino.

The Head of State thanked the interlocutor for the visit to Ukraine, particularly to the liberated territories of the Kyiv region. He called on the head of the IOM to convey the truth he saw to the world as much as possible.

“It is very important that the head of the International Organization for Migration saw with his own eyes the consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine,” the President said.

“You understand in detail all these problems caused by the war. We know and appreciate that the International Organization for Migration supports Ukrainians not with words, but with concrete steps. First of all, forcibly displaced persons both within Ukraine and outside of Ukraine,” added Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The President emphasized the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the full-scale Russian invasion, which caused the largest forced resettlement crisis in the world. He expressed gratitude to the head of the IOM for the practical help from the United Nations to more than a million Ukrainians – both forcibly displaced people outside our country and internally displaced persons.

The illegal mass deportation of Ukrainians to Russia, including women, children and our defenders, and the system of filtration camps arranged by the occupiers, became a separate topic of the negotiations. Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that this is a gross violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime, and called on António Vitorino to exert maximum pressure on Russia in order to put an end to this shameful phenomenon.

“We stand for the International Organization for Migration to have greater access to deported Ukrainians, especially to those territories where there are so-called filtration camps,” he noted.

Specific areas of Ukraine’s further cooperation with the IOM were discussed in detail, in particular, a comprehensive long-term solution to the most urgent problems of forcibly displaced people (housing, guarantees of social protection). The President briefed António Vitorino on the challenges expected with the approach of the heating season, primarily due to the fact that Russia has begun to strike at critical infrastructure facilities.

The Head of State emphasized the importance of the full implementation of the mandate of the IOM in the territories of Ukraine liberated from the occupiers.

The President also emphasized the need to support Ukrainians who return home or move to safer regions of the country during this period, especially in the matter of providing housing. In this regard, he noted that assistance in the form of respective microloans would be useful.