Tag: 2022

PRESS RELEASE : £60 million fund to boost investment and access to sport and culture in the West Midlands [October 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 3 October 2022.

The UK government will invest around £60 million of underspend from the Birmingham 2022 budget in the West Midlands to enhance the legacy of the brilliant Commonwealth Games hosted earlier this year. The fund will aim to increase access to sport and culture, boost the West Midlands’s reputation as a world-class host for major events and drive inward investment and tourism.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will work with the West Midlands Combined Authority and Birmingham City Council to capitalise on the success of the Games and help more people engage with sport and culture in the region.

The funding will also be allocated to boost inward business investment and tourism and help drive further economic growth in the West Midlands.

The Commonwealth Games was backed by £778 million of public funding, providing the West Midlands with a refurbished athletics stadium in Perry Barr and a brand-new aquatics centre in Smethwick. Alongside these world-class venues, the £60 million investment will support the region’s ambition to host future major events.

This investment builds on existing legacy programmes already being rolled out. In partnership with DCMS, Sport England will continue to boost access to sport through a Birmingham 2022 kit giveaway. 16,000 items from basketballs to bibs will be gifted to West Midlands community groups in the coming months.

Birmingham 2022 was the fairest, greenest and fastest Commonwealth Games ever, delivered in four and a half years, rather than the seven that normally happens for a Games, and committed to a carbon neutral legacy. As well as having the biggest ever para-sport programme, the Games also awarded women with more medals than men. Birmingham 2022’s 11 days of sport was complemented by a 6-month cultural festival and the first ever Games-accredited business and tourism programme.

Birmingham 2022 was the best-selling Commonwealth Games to be held in the UK with over 1.5 million tickets sold, and the most watched Games on the BBC’s digital platforms with 57.1 million streams.

October 3, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Scottish Secretary attends Dunfermline ceremony to mark new city status [October 2022]

The press release issued by the Scottish Office on 3 October 2022.

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has taken part in an event to mark Dunfermline officially becoming a city, after the new status was awarded as part of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Their Majesties King Charles III and the Queen Consort visited the former town for a ceremony to hand over the Papers Patent, which officially confirms Dunfermline as Scotland’s eighth city.

Inside the City Chambers, King Charles III presented the official documents to Provost of Fife, Councillor Jim Leishman, in front of an audience of invited guests.

Speaking ahead of the event, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said:

Being awarded city status represents a very special moment for Dunfermline and its community.

It is particularly poignant, and a true honour, that Their Majesties King Charles III and the Queen Consort will be present at the event, marking their first official engagement since the end of formal Royal mourning.

This Royal ceremony heralds an exciting new chapter in Dunfermline’s history, and I am delighted to attend and celebrate this wonderful city’s rich heritage and promising future.

October 3, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Responsible space behaviours – the UK commits not to destructively test direct ascent anti-satellite missiles [October 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 October 2022.

UK government statement on responsible space behaviours:

The UK has today, 3 October, announced that it commits not to destructively test direct ascent anti-satellite (DA-ASAT) missiles, as part of the UK’s enduring efforts to promote responsible space behaviours.

Space has a vital role for global prosperity, development and security. Space systems have become integrated into global infrastructure upon which modern life depends.

The destructive testing of DA-ASAT missiles can create dangerous space debris, which threatens the functioning of these systems and can put at risk those who explore space, as well as being potentially destabilising.

Given our increasing security and socio-economic reliance on space, we believe that destructive testing of direct ascent anti-satellite missiles can be conclusively regarded as irresponsible.

DA ASAT missile testing is one of a number of threats to space systems. Several countries already possess a broad range of counter-space capabilities that can threaten all segments of space systems – on the ground, in space and the signals between them.

The UK is leading the international debate at the United Nations to tackle space threats. A UK-sponsored resolution on 30 December 2021 (A/RES/76/231), established an open-ended working group (OEWG) make recommendations on norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours relating to threats by States to space systems. The UK is actively participating in the OEWG, which will conclude its work in August 2023.

October 3, 2022
Michelle Donelan – 2022 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

The speech made by Michelle Donelan, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in Birmingham on 3 October 2022.

Thank you Conference,

It is an honour to be here as the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport working with such a fantastic team of ministers and back in Birmingham which this year became the second biggest tech city in the UK outside London. It is also a city that encapsulates every aspect of what I will deliver. Whether it is promoting British sporting excellence on the world stage by hosting the Commonwealth Games or helping to fuel our tech industry in the West Midlands, where an extra 52,000 new tech jobs will exist by 2025.This success is being seen across the country and will be turbo charged under the boldest Conservative government we have seen for a generation.

And I will be ensuring my department is at the heart of this as a true engine of growth in the UK. And while the areas we cover at DCMS may seem at opposite ends of the policy spectrum, actually, my priorities in all of these areas boil down to a few common sense goals. In everything we do, I want us to create, connect and protect. Create more highly paid tech, digital and creative jobs that will provide genuine opportunities for you and your children – this will be the beating heart of our mission to grow the economy. I will also work to connect communities up and down the country to better deliver broadband, phone signal and 5G. It is fundamentally wrong that in today’s age people living in rural homes can still struggle to get a phone signal to call their loved ones, this is going to change.

And finally, I will protect our children, our values and our history. That is why I am coming forward with strong, common sense, conservative, solutions that deliver on these priorities.

And at the heart of everything I do, making people’s lives better by driving up economic growth will be my priority. But to create jobs, connect communities and protect British values, we have to be unashamedly conservative.

As the Prime Minister has said from day one, we are the party that understands the need to grow the economic pie rather than simply slicing it up into thinner pieces. Where Labour are busy squabbling over how to divide wealth, we, the Conservatives, are getting on with the job of creating wealth.

This includes creating more wealth and prosperity through our tech, digital, cyber, creative, cultural and arts sectors.

But there remains a significant amount of red tape in our way, red tape that, as a newly independent nation free of EU bureaucracy, we can tailor to fit our country’s needs. One example of this is on data.

We inherited GDPR from the EU, and its bureaucratic nature is still limiting the potential of our businesses. So much so that researchers at Oxford University estimated that it has directly caused businesses to lose over 8% of their profits. In a survey by my Department, 50% of businesses told us that the EU’s mainly one-size-fits-all GDPR scheme, had led to excessive caution amongst staff in the handling of data. We’ve even had churches write to the department, pleading for us to do something, so that they can send newsletters out to their communities without worrying about breaching data rules.

Many of these smaller organisations and businesses only employ a few people each. They don’t have the resources or money to navigate the regulatory minefield that GDPR puts in their way. And yet right now, in the main, they’re forced to follow the same one-size-fits-all approach as a multinational corporation. That’s just not right, and it is certainly not conservative.

That is why today Conference, I am announcing that we will be replacing GDPR with our own business and consumer-friendly, British data protection system. Our plan will protect consumer privacy and keep their data safe, whilst retaining our data adequacy so businesses can trade freely. And I can promise you here today, Conference, that it will be simpler and clearer for businesses to navigate.

No longer will our businesses be shackled by unnecessary red tape. At the moment, even though we have shortages of electricians and plumbers, GDPR ties them in knots with clunky bureaucracy. In its place, we will co-design with business a new system of data protection. We will look to those countries who achieve data adequacy without having GDPR, like Israel, Japan, South Korea, Canada and New Zealand.

Our new data protection plan will focus on growth and common sense, helping to prevent losses from cyber attacks and data breaches, while protecting data privacy. This will allow us to reduce the needless regulations and business-stifling elements, while taking the best bits from others around the world to form a truly bespoke, British system of data protection.

Let me be clear, Conference, this is not another wave of legislation on business. Businesses won’t have to wrap their heads around complicated legislation – this is about simplification. In fact, it is this government seizing the opportunity to support our job creators. And I will be involving them right from the start in the design of a tailored, business-friendly British system of data protection. One that, protects the consumer, protects data adequacy and increases the trade that good data protection enables, whilst increasing productivity and also avoids the pitfalls of a one-size-fits-all system. It is time we seize this post Brexit opportunity fully, and unleash the full growth potential of British business. We can be the bridge across the Atlantic and operate as the world’s data hub.

But Conference as you know, there is so much more to DCMS. As someone who is passionate about grassroots sport, especially having seen the impact that Chippenham Town and Melksham Town Football Clubs have had on my local community, I could not be happier to be the Secretary of State in charge of sport at a time where British sporting excellence is all around us. Our heroic Lionesses inspired millions of young girls and football fans this Summer, kicking off a new era in women’s football. The world also watched in awe as the Commonwealth Games took the nation by storm, exhibiting the very best of British talent and culture.

What’s more, this Conservative Government didn’t just deliver the games on time and on budget, but delivered it on time and under budget – over 60 million under in fact. And today, I am delighted to announce that we are going to invest that money to really cement the legacy of the games – right back here in the West Midlands. Investing in pro-growth legacy projects for the people of the West Midlands, working with our driven, passionate, delivery machine for the West Midlands.

So, while Labour try to choke growth in the West Midlands by backing crippling rail strikes, we are getting on with the job of injecting investment and producing growth not just here but around the country.

This is also a Government that is connecting a new household to full fibre broadband every 7 seconds. And rolling out good broadband and 5G has the potential to revolutionise our country’s economy, accelerating growth, jobs and improving the quality of life for millions of people.

For some people, better broadband and 5G will mean they are finally able to access streaming services on a stable connection in their home. For others, it might mean that they can get access to 5G connected mobile health scanners, bringing next generation healthcare to their local town. Or for farmers, it could enable them to use live sensors to detect in real time, about the fertilisation and moisture needed for their crops. The possibilities are endless, and the benefits extend far beyond simply loading up web pages faster. That’s why I will soon be announcing a package of measures in Parliament, that will make it easier for us to rollout fast broadband across the country, and that will massively accelerate progress.

There are also huge opportunities for our growth agenda with the cultural, arts and creative industries including media and we want to continue this trend, ensuring that we accelerate it with the right skills – and let me take this opportunity to thank the BBC and all broadcasters for the excellent coverage and tribute they gave to Her late Majesty the Queen.

Another area of growth is tourism, which we are also boosting, by re-introducing VAT-free shopping for overseas visitors. And we will replace the old paper-based system with a modern, digital system that will come into place very soon.

The final part of my plan for DCMS is built on the soundly conservative principles of protecting the things that we love rather than tearing them down.

As a former Children and Families Minister, I know first-hand that there is no greater duty than protecting our children, especially as they browse online. Our party, is founded on the principle that stronger families mean a stronger country, and a basic building block of a strong family is ensuring the safety of children.

For too long, have social media giants been chipping away at children’s innocence by feeding them dangerous content contrary to their own terms and conditions. Which has led to devasting tragedies.

Last week the inquest into the death of Molly Russell further highlighted the horrific failure of social media platforms to put the welfare of children first. We owe it, to Ian Russell and all of Molly’s family to do everything in our power to stop this happening again. Our online safety bill must be the answer and I will make sure that the bill’s key objective is ensuring social media firms protect children and young people. Conference, I can confirm that the bill will be returning to Parliament – and my dedicated ministerial team and I are working flat out to ensure the bill is delivered and we are strengthening the protections in place for children.

But rest assured Conference that I am making changes to the Bill in relation to freedom of speech for adults. I am the Minister who brought forward the Higher Education Freedom of Speech Bill and so I know just how vital it is that we get this right and ensure that our rights to freedom of expression and free speech are protected. And there needs to be more accountability and transparency for users, so I will be bringing forward measures in the Bill to ensure that this is the case.

Free speech underpins our British democracy – we are in fact a country with a long history of supporting and exporting free speech ideas. In many ways, Britain is the home of free speech. It is the beating heart on which all of our other freedoms rest. But – let’s remember, protecting children online and protecting free speech for adults do not need to be at odds with one another. As you can see fairness, honesty and common sense are the values that I rely on to tackle the big issues.

I am an evidence-based politician and over the coming months you will see that I am not afraid to make tough decisions, and will stick to our conservative principles to make people’s lives better and fairer.

Because, we are the party that delivers high paid jobs in tech and digital so that our economy grows. We are the party that connects our country to fast broadband and 5G so that families and businesses can prosper. And we are the party that protects British culture and institutions with common sense values. This bold Conservative Government is going to accelerate our delivery and stand true to our principles.

Thank you, Conference.

October 3, 2022
Ranil Jayawardena – 2022 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

The speech made by Ranil Jayawardena, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in Birmingham on 3 October 2022.

I am delighted to be standing before you today, as your Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

And it is a great privilege to serve you in this role because I was raised in a rural county, the county that my family and I still live in, the fine county of Hampshire, the north east of which I represent today.

It was when I was at Hook Infant School that I learnt how soap used to be made and began to speak up against whaling, which loopholes sadly still allow today.

It was at Hook Junior School that I championed recycling, before separate kerbside collections existed, and everything was going to landfill.

Like our Prime Minister, I am proud to say I was an environmentalist before it was fashionable.

Having grown up in North East Hampshire, I understand the issues faced by those in rural communities too.

I will be a champion for people who live in the countryside the length and breadth of our nation.

And I look forward to visiting to farms, businesses and charities across the country, including PDM Produce in Shropshire where I was yesterday, and Mondelez in Bourneville, who I will be visiting on Wednesday.

Thanks to everyone who has given me such a warm welcome already, here in Birmingham and across the West Midlands, even if the same can’t be said for Twitter.

There is much to do.

And I have been put here by the Prime Minister to deliver.

At DEFRA, we’re all about EFG.

The Environment.

Food.

And Growth.

I am delighted to have a great team who are already getting on with the job –

Trudy Harrison as your Minister for the Environment;

Mark Spencer as your Minister for Food;

and Scott Mann as your Minister for Growth;

all ably supported by Lord Benyon as Minister for International Nature and Biosecurity,

and Lord Harlech, Darren Henry, Laura Farris and Antony Higginbotham in the Whips Offices and as my Parliamentary Private Secretaries.

And as we all get on with the job, top of the list – key to unlocking everything else we want – is growing our economy.

Though our opponents would like to pretend otherwise, a strong, healthy environment and a strong, healthy economy are not incompatible.

In fact, they are perfect partners.

A strong environment and a strong economy is how we deliver in a Conservative way.

That’s why I can assure you all today that my Department should no longer be seen as one that follows the EU, imposes rules and impedes innovation.

Instead of being a regulatory department, we are now an economic growth department.

Food and drink is our largest manufacturing sector.

It is bigger than automotive and aerospace put together, with a presence in every constituency in this country.

The opportunity for growth in the sector is enormous – and it will bring jobs, skills and prosperity across the nation.

More than ever, we know the importance of food security – it is crucial for our national resilience and we must boost it further still.

British food and British farming are the best in the world – premium products that should not just be enjoyed at home – rather they should be championed around the world.

Here at home, we should be able to buy British with confidence and pride.

But, to do that, we need to tighten up our labelling.

We have some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world.

Shoppers vote with their feet and choose to buy British for just that reason.

And yet, did you know that Danish pork processed in Britain can be sold as British?

But we don’t have to bow the knee to every bureaucratic Bonaparte in Brussels anymore.

Haven’t we taken back control?

That’s why we will be working with supermarkets and producers to improve the data they collect on where our food comes from – and we will launch new British labelling, so that the people of our great nation can have confidence that anything labelled as British IS British.

And this has an extra Brexit bonus.

Instead of keeping the world’s best food and drink a secret, we will sell more of it around the globe,

with the Union Flag symbolising once again the quality that people around the world want to buy.

Whilst at the Department for International Trade, the Prime Minister and I were determined to open new markets and we succeeded.

British beef is back in America…

… we are selling chicken to Mongolia.

We are shipping Scottish salmon to Saudi Arabia…

And our friends in Canada are enjoying Scotch Whisky too…

This is just the beginning.

Like the Prime Minister when she was Environment Secretary,

in a fortnight, I will be in Paris at the world’s largest food fair…

… bigging up British products.

I will be working closely with my friends at Trade…

… to make sure we are capitalising on every export opportunity for our premium produce to the world…

… at the premium prices our farmers, fishermen and food producers deserve.

We have huge opportunities – lamb to the Gulf, dairy to the Far East, the list goes on.

The opportunity isn’t just demand-led though.

Supply-side reforms are crucial.

Now that we have left the EU, I am delighted to tell you that we are going to free our farmers, and we are listening to all sides for new ideas to get Britain growing, such as the review undertaken by Baroness Rock to back our tenant farmers.

Unlike the Labour Party, we trust our farmers, so we will cut through the red tape that has held back our farms for too long.

We announced in our growth plan that we would review farming regulations but – contrary to what you might have read in some corners of the media – we remain committed to our environmental schemes that support our farmers as they look after our countryside.

Some rules in the past didn’t do what they set out to. The three-crop rule and greening requirements are already gone and we will be announcing more in the coming weeks.

I bulldozed 400 trade barriers in my time at Trade and I will continue to get things done.

We must look to the future too.

We will use our new grant schemes to support farmers and food producers to invest in the technology that will boost their productivity and profitability.

The technological advancements being made in the agricultural and horticultural sectors are astounding,

producing more food whilst using fewer resources, including water.

And using less water is vital.

It’s been a long, hot summer.

With crop failure being a very real worry, we need a little rain.

And when the rain comes, we need our flood defences to be strong, to protect life and property, and we need our watercourses and beaches to be safe and sewage-free.

I believe in private enterprise.

We all do.

It’s business that creates jobs, secures our prosperity and pays for public services.

Private enterprise is intrinsic to our Conservative DNA.

And yet

we all know that government must step in if there is market failure.

Our water companies have a lot to answer for.

Too much water is wasted through leaks each year when we should be conserving it, and, in 2022,

we still find sewage in our rivers

and on our beaches.

That is not on.

On my first day in office, I met Water Company bosses to give them their report card.

They caused 62 serious pollution incidents in 2021.

I’ll be polite: could do better.

I asked them to write to me with their plans to accelerate investment in infrastructure.

They did –

and now they must deliver.

Privatisation has put in £170billion of investment into our water infrastructure already,

and the private sector will now put in another £56billion more.

And, if they don’t deliver, there will be consequences.

I can confirm to you today that I will be taking forward plans to lift the Environment Agency’s maximum civil fine for each individual breach of the rules from up to just 250,000 pounds, to up to 250 million.

This doesn’t only affect families going to our beautiful British lakes, rivers and beaches in the summer,

or surfers braving the cold winter swells.

It has repercussions for our environment,

at a time when our biodiversity is seriously under threat.

Biodiversity is declining faster than at any time in human history.

We rely on nature to provide us with food, water and clean air,

and biodiversity is crucial to enabling nature to be productive and resilient.

More than half of global GDP is estimated to be dependent on biodiversity and nature.

That’s over £40 trillion.

When I was first elected, I founded the All Party Parliamentary Group on Endangered Species.

I believe in halting the decline.

Except, I should say, my friends, for the decline of the lesser but still too often spotted: the so-called Liberal Democrat.

That’s a species I would be happy to see remain on the endangered list.

I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you, my friends.

Like you, I have fought the Lib Dems and the Socialists in communities across the country –

as an Association Officer,

as a Councillor,

and as a Member of Parliament.

And, in this brief,

at DEFRA,

I will work day and night to preserve our green and pleasant land.

Our rural landscapes – the clouded hills, the mountains green – are precious to all of
us, and we have a duty to our children and our children’s children to protect them.

I will honour that duty and I will not let leftists who seek to divide us undermine that
collective responsibility we all share to protect our environment.

It is this Conservative Government that has put in place world leading targets to halt the decline in nature by 2030, with particular thanks to the hard work of my immediate predecessors, George Eustice and Theresa Villiers.

This is a challenge, and one that requires action by many to be achieved.

But achieve it we must, for it is critical to the growth we want to see, the Conservative environmentalism we believe in.

We are going for growth, where a strong, healthy environment, is part of a strong, healthy economy.

This is a huge task.

There is much to do.

And we are determined to deliver.

October 3, 2022
Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (03/10/2022) – 222 days

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 3 October 2022.

Dear Ukrainians! I wish you health!

Important events took place today in Turkey during a visit of the First Lady of Ukraine, the head of the President’s Office and other our representatives.

In the presence of Olena, the first corvette for our country from those, which will be built by the Turkish side, was launched. It is corvette Hetman Ivan Mazepa.

Its building began in 2021 and will be completed in due time. I consider it very symbolic that it got this name. Despite a century of Russian false propaganda, historical truth and justice still prevail.

And there is no reason for our project to build a new fleet for Ukraine to fail. We will implement all the shaped plans. Our goal is to create a full-fledged base for ship maintenance and building in Ukraine.

Today, Andriy Yermak together with the Ukrainian delegation visited the facilities of the Baykar company, which produces, in particular, well-known Bayraktar UCAVs for us. On behalf of all Ukrainians, Andriy thanked the company’s managers and presented Selçuk Bayraktar, the chairman of the Baykar’s Board, with the Order of Merit, which was awarded to him on the anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence.

However, this meeting is not symbolic, it is quite practical. We are preparing to create a training center and a plant of the Baykar company in Ukraine, as well as joint manufacturing of aircraft engines. We will definitely implement these projects.

Ukraine has always been and will be one of the European centers of the military and aviation industry. And I am proud that I can say these words with absolute confidence and justification based on the results of the 221st day of Russia’s full-scale war against our state.

Something went wrong with someone…

And these meetings are not the end of our diplomatic activity today.

There was also a meeting of the first ladies of Ukraine and Turkey – and I thank President Erdoğan and his wife Emine for their continued support of our efforts to restore peace.

The First Lady of Ukraine and our delegation met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Patriarch Bartholomew’s view on the war unleashed by Russia and his position on supporting our state are well known. And today they sounded again – very powerfully. I thank you for this, thank you for understanding the needs of our people.

The head of the Office held talks with the advisors to the President of the United States and the President of Turkey – Jake Sullivan and İbrahim Kalın. Very substantive negotiations. Absolutely in the interests of Ukraine. To strengthen our security.

Today, I held talks with President of France Emmanuel Macron. We discussed in detail the situation on the front line, our successes at the front. President Macron clearly supported our state and condemned the Russian pseudo-referendums and the attempt to annex our territory. The strengthening of sanctions against Russia was discussed.

We also discussed the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the abduction of Director General of the ZNPP Ihor Murashov by the Russian occupiers. This is another manifestation of completely frank Russian terror, for which the terrorist state must bear an ever-increasing punishment.

Today, we have a powerful joint statement from the leaders of nine NATO states: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. They condemned Russia’s escalating moves and, most importantly, supported our aspiration to become a full member of NATO. We are moving in this direction. I am sure that we will implement this project.

At least twice a day – in the morning and in the evening – I receive reports from our military. This week, the largest part of the reports is the list of settlements liberated from the enemy as part of our defense operation. The story of the liberation of Lyman in Donetsk region has now become the most popular in the media. But the successes of our soldiers are not limited to Lyman.

This, you know, is the trend… Recently, someone somewhere held pseudo-referendums, and when the Ukrainian flag is returned, no one remembers the Russian farce with some pieces of paper and some annexations. Except, of course, law enforcement agencies of Ukraine. Because everyone who is involved in any elements of aggression against our state will be accountable for it.

And I thank everyone who brings these moments of victory closer, who returns the Ukrainian flag to its rightful place on Ukrainian land. I thank everyone: from generals to ordinary soldiers, from professional soldiers, intelligence and special forces to volunteers and everyone who helps defend our state.

And I would especially like to mention the 25th, 80th, 81st, and 95th brigades of amphibious assault troops for their successes in the east of our country; 14th and 92nd separate mechanized brigades; 1st, 4th and 17th tank brigades; Special Operations Forces; units of the National Guard and the National Police; SBU employees; and our intelligence – Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense. Thank you, warriors!

And one more thing.

Today, two professional holidays are celebrated in Ukraine – Teacher’s Day (Educator’s Day) and Territorial Defense Forces Day. Of course, a lot of kind and warm words have already been said to both educators and our Territorial Defense Forces men. But I want to add something.

Effective defense is impossible without good national education. And there will be no good national education without effective defense. Fortunately, we have both of these elements. Thanks to the professionalism and conscientiousness of Ukrainian educators, teachers, and professors, we have soldiers who know what humanity is and appreciate everything that Ukraine represents. And thanks to our brave soldiers, Ukrainian education on Ukrainian land will transmit our values to all generations of our people.

I thank every Ukrainian educator, teacher and lecturer! I thank each of our defenders!

I’m thankful to the soldiers of the 127th Territorial Defense Brigade for defending the city of Kharkiv and liberating the territory of Kharkiv region. To the soldiers of the 110th brigade, who bravely repulsed the invaders in the Zaporizhzhia direction. To the soldiers of the 129th brigade of my native Kryvy Rih, who distinguished themselves with good results and liberated, in particular, Arkhanhelske and Myroliubivka. To the soldiers of the 115th Territorial Defense Brigade, who made a significant contribution to the defense of Zhytomyr region. And also to the soldiers of the 117th brigade, who defend the north-eastern direction in Sumy region.

Ukraine will win!

Glory to Ukraine!

October 3, 2022
Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (02/10/2022) – 221 days

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 2 October 2022.

Dear Ukrainians!

Dear all our defenders!

Another week of our war for our independence comes to an end.

The week that the enemy really wanted to make especially hard for us, but he made it really hard, but for himself. For Russia itself.

Today, even more voices in the world have joined in condemning the pseudo-referendums and Russia’s attempt to annex our territory – the territory of Ukraine.

I am grateful for every such voice.

As a result, we already have dozens of statements that clearly support Ukraine and international law and condemn Russia for this new aggressive step.

I would like to especially note the statement of UN Secretary General António Guterres.

He bluntly said that Russia violates the goals and principles of the UN, the UN Charter and that the pseudo-referendums and attempted annexation will have no legal force.

When such words are heard at the highest level in the UN, everyone in the world understands everything.

And Russia has no such veto right that can stop or cancel this understanding of the world.

Russia is losing the fight for the international community. The world will not allow a return to the times of colonial conquests, criminal annexations and total arbitrariness instead of international law.

And the main thing… The main thing is our resistance with you, our protection with you, our movement with you towards the liberation of the entire Ukrainian territory.

It is our movement that puts everything in its place.

Russia has staged a farce in Donbas. An absolute farce, which it wanted to present as an alleged referendum.

They depicted something there, drove machine gunners around the houses, carried pieces of paper, the propagandists filmed all this in the part of Donbas they controlled.

And now a Ukrainian flag is there.

During this week, there were more Ukrainian flags in Donbas. It will be even more in a week.

What then is a pseudo-referendum? Are there two Donetsk regions? Two villages of Yampil, Donetsk region? Are there two villages of Torske?

The Ukrainian movement will continue.

The Ukrainian flag is already in Lyman, Donetsk region. Fighting is still going on there. But there is no trace of any pseudo-referendum there.

It is logical for Ukraine. And for the enemy, there will be more and more such “mismatches.”

By the way, they have already started biting each other there: they are looking for the culprits, accusing some generals of failures…

This is the first bell that should be heard at all levels of the Russian government.

Until you all solve the problem with the one who started it all, who started this senseless for Russia war against Ukraine, you will be killed one by one, making scapegoats, so as not to admit that this war is a historical mistake for Russia.

Ukraine will return its own. Both in the east and in the south. And what they tried to annex now, and Crimea, which has been called annexed since 2014.

Our flag will be everywhere.

There will be punishment for those who committed this crime of aggression against our independent state.

On October 1, 76 years ago, the Nuremberg Tribunal ended its work.

In many ways, it was this process that laid the foundations of the modern world – the legal foundations of justice. Everything that ruscism is trying to destroy.

Therefore, another tribunal will inevitably take place, which will put an end to the careers of all those responsible for this Russian “special operation” against the international system, which began in 2014 and became full-scale on February 24, and will end thanks to the heroism of our people.

Today, we still do not know on which day it will happen. But we know that the day of our victory will come. It will definitely be. And after it the day of judgment for the ruscists will be. It will definitely be.

I thank everyone who brings this time closer. Who is approaching it daily.

Thanks to everyone who fights and works for our victory! Thanks to everyone who helps!

Thank you to President Biden and the US Congress for providing more than $12 billion in supplemental support. It will definitely strengthen our common freedom.

Glory to the invincible people of Ukraine!

Glory to our soldiers!

Glory to Ukraine!

October 3, 2022
Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (01/10/2022) – 220 days

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 1 October 2022.

Dear Ukrainians!

The enemy started this day with a deliberate and absolutely premeditated murder of Ukrainians in Zaporizhzhia. A missile attack on a civilian convoy of cars.

As of now, 30 dead are reported. Almost a hundred wounded and traumatized.

The Russian military knew where their missiles would hit. Non-humans did it. From the first to the last. From the one who gave this order and to everyone who executed this order. They will answer. For sure. Before the law and before people. People!

That is why we are confident of our victory. That is why we took the initiative in the war. That is why we’re getting tangible results on the battlefield right now… and that’s very important. Congratulations to the heroes!

As we remain human and gain support from people – from all the people of the world. From everyone who feels pain when they learn about the deliberate killing of innocent people.

Another farce took place in Moscow today. Something was celebrated there. They were chanting something there. They sang in the square. They were talking about Zaporizhzhia… When they themselves arranged such a thing in Zaporizhzhia. They are non-humans. Eternal memory to all those killed in Russian terrorist attacks!

Today, Ukraine made decisions to defend itself. All of them will be implemented. Decisions of the National Security and Defense Council and the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Headquarters.

I already reported in detail this afternoon about our request for an accelerated accession to join NATO. And about the obvious readiness of Ukraine for negotiations with the Russian Federation – but with another President of Russia, who will understand what is happening.

Now, I want to add something about the decision of the National Security and Defense Council regarding sanctions against Russian individuals and legal entities. There is a really long list, quite famous names.

However, we are not focused on volume, but on actually dismantling Russian influence and at the same time influencing the state of affairs in the Russian Federation itself.

Therefore, restrictions are introduced against several thousand individuals and entities. Sanctions of Ukraine and our partners are synchronized. New sanctions are being introduced against key persons and significant Russian enterprises.

Of course, sanctions will also be applied to those citizens of other countries who took part in the Russian farce on the occupied territory of our country.

Pseudo-referendums are elements of aggression against a sovereign state, and anyone involved in organizing or conducting this farce will be held accountable.

Today, I spoke with the Prime Ministers of Japan and Denmark. Of course, they condemned the new Russian steps towards escalation. Thanks to them for their support!

Thanks also to all the leaders of the partner states, to all the political and public figures of the world, who have already quite promptly spoken out in defense of Ukraine and international law!

I personally thank President Biden, Congress, our friends in Europe and everyone who is already strengthening sanctions against Russia and is already taking powerful steps to increase defense and financial support for Ukraine!

We must liberate our entire land, and this will be the best proof that international law and human values cannot be broken by any terrorist state, even one as insolent as Russia.

We have substantial results in the east of our country. There is already enough public information about this. Everyone has heard what is happening in Lyman, Donetsk region. These are steps that mean a lot to us.

And I am thankful to all our fighters for implementing this element of our defense plan! It is very important.

Today, I especially want to recognize the fighters of the 10th separate mountain assault brigade and the 54th separate mechanized brigade for their constant bravery and heroism in the Siversky and Bakhmut areas. And also our servicemen of the 214th separate rifle battalion, the Special Operations Forces and the 103rd separate ground defense brigade for the liberation of Yampil.

I am also thankful to our intelligence units – Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense, as well as the Security Service of Ukraine.

The path of our country is difficult. The path is clear. This is the path of independence, territorial integrity, integration with the civilized world and social development. The path of our enemy is also completely clear – defeat, shame and condemnation.

And one more. Every year on the last day of September, Ukraine celebrates Adoption Day. This, in my opinion, is an important day.

It is a day of special respect for those whose hearts are big enough to give family warmth to children left without parental care.

Today, I thank all such Ukrainian men and women! I dream that we will come to such a result, when every child of Ukraine will feel family warmth, no matter what the circumstances of life are.

Eternal glory to our beautiful people! Eternal glory to everyone who fights for Ukraine! We work for one thing – victory!

Glory to Ukraine!

October 3, 2022
Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (30/09/2022) – 219 days

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 30 September 2022.

Ukrainians!

And all our friends and allies!

De facto allies. Today, here in Kyiv, in the heart of our country, we are taking a decisive step for the security of the entire community of free nations.

We see who threatens us. Who is ready to kill and maim. Who in order to expand his zone of control does not stop at any savagery.

On February 24, the first full-scale attack on Ukraine was carried out. The first!

Russia would not have stopped at our borders if we had not stopped it. Other states would have been under attack. The Baltic countries, Poland, Moldova and Georgia, Kazakhstan…

Russia claimed to subjugate various nations of Europe and Asia. Claimed six months ago. This criminal ambition is breaking down in Ukraine. It was broken down in the suburbs of Kyiv and Chernihiv. In “Azovstal”. In the Sumy region and Kharkiv region. On Zmiinyi Island. It will be broken down in Donbas and in the south of Ukraine when we liberate them. Definitely – in Crimea, in the free Ukrainian Crimea.

The entire territory of our country will be liberated from this enemy – the enemy not only of Ukraine, but also of life itself, humanity, law and truth.

Russia already knows this. It feels our power. It sees that it is here, in Ukraine, that we prove the strength of our values. And that is why it is in a hurry. Organizes this farce with the attempted annexation. Tries to steal something that does not belong to it. Wants to rewrite history and redraw borders with murders, torture, blackmail and lies.

Ukraine will not allow that.

Today I held a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. The meeting of the National Security and Defense Council has just ended. We have a decision.

First – it is only the path of strengthening Ukraine and ousting the occupiers from our entire territory that restores peace. We will complete this path.

Second – Ukraine was and remains a leader in negotiation efforts. It was our state that always offered Russia to reach an agreement on coexistence on equal, honest, decent and fair terms. It is obvious that this is impossible with this Russian president. He does not know what dignity and honesty are. Therefore, we are ready for a dialogue with Russia, but already with another president of Russia.

And third – we must de jure record everything we have already achieved de facto. It is in Ukraine that the fate of democracy in the confrontation with tyranny is being decided. It is here, with the firmness of our state borders, that we can secure the firmness of the borders of all European states. We can guarantee that no one else will dare to bring war back to our continent.

It is here, in Ukraine, that the values of our Euro-Atlantic community have obtained real vital energy. The strength of the nation that fights for freedom, and the strength of the nations that help in this fight.

We are de facto allies. This has already been achieved. De facto, we have already completed our path to NATO. De facto, we have already proven interoperability with the Alliance’s standards, they are real for Ukraine – real on the battlefield and in all aspects of our interaction.

We trust each other, we help each other and we protect each other. This is what the Alliance is. De facto.

Today, Ukraine is applying to make it de jure. Under a procedure consistent with our significance for the protection of our entire community. Under an accelerated procedure.

We know it’s possible. We have seen Finland and Sweden start accession to the Alliance this year without a Membership Action Plan.

This is fair. This is also fair for Ukraine. This is the consolidation at the level of the treaty of what has already been achieved in life and what are our values.

We understand that this requires the consensus of all members of the Alliance. We understand that it is necessary to reach such a consensus. And therefore, while this is happening, we offer to implement our proposals regarding security guarantees for Ukraine and all of Europe in accordance with the Kyiv Security Compact, which was developed and presented to our partners.

Security has no alternatives. But determination is needed to guarantee it.

We are taking our decisive step by signing Ukraine’s application for accelerated accession to NATO.

Today, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine adopted a decision to impose sanctions on significant individuals and legal entities of Russia who did not have the courage to speak out in defense of humanity and international law, or who in one way or another are involved in aggressive steps against Ukraine and the community of democratic nations.

And at the same time, I am addressing the people’s deputies of Ukraine: at the next session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, a draft law on the nationalization of all Russian assets will be considered, which should significantly simplify this procedure. Please endorse this bill without delay.

We are completing the dismantling of Russian influence on Ukraine, Europe and the world.

Glory to Ukraine!

October 3, 2022
Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (29/09/2022) – 218 days

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 29 September 2022.

Ukrainians!

We continue our diplomatic activity to ensure that all partners of Ukraine and the countries of the world understand what new steps towards escalation are being taken by the terrorist state these days.

I spoke today with President of Poland Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi. I had a meeting with the President of the National Assembly of France. I am grateful to our partners for clearly condemning the Russian sham referenda, for condemning the attempted annexation of our territory, which the Kremlin is currently preparing.

I am grateful to our Polish brothers for their invaluable defense support and our cooperation for the sake of common security. And today, in a conversation with Andrzej Duda, with Mr. President, we discussed how we can further strengthen our relations.

We also discussed cross-border cooperation. We must do everything so that our nations face no obstacles for economic and any other relations.

I would like to thank Prime Minister Draghi for his principled condemnation of Russia’s steps towards escalation. We exchanged views on further steps in our bilateral relations with Italy and in multilateral relations at the EU level that could give all of us in Europe more protection.

The first ever visit to Ukraine by the President of the National Assembly of France is taking place at a truly historic time. At a time when solidarity between leaders at all levels is critical to the future of a democratic world. I thanked Mrs. President of the National Assembly of France and her fellow parliamentarians for their willingness to continue to help us defend the independence of Ukraine and the freedom of the whole of Europe.

I talked today with the university community and public figures of Switzerland on the basis of the University of Zurich. It is very important that Switzerland and its citizens do not remain neutral, and support our aspiration to live – to live freely and in peace.

Everyone in the world understands well what such an attempted annexation would actually mean. It will not mean what the Kremlin hopes for.

Today I explained this to the peoples of the Caucasus, Siberia, and other indigenous peoples of Russia. And now I repeat for everyone in this country: Russia will not get a new territory of Ukraine. Russia will annex itself to the catastrophe that it has brought to the occupied territory of our country. Russia will equate itself with the so-called “DPR” and “LPR”, and will completely finish off those institutions of normal statehood that still remained in Russia.

The occupier fills the occupied territory of Ukraine with graves, and there are more and more graves on the territory of Russia itself. The occupier sets up torture chambers in the occupied territory – and will fill the entire territory of Russia with torture chambers. This is the only way the Russian police and Russian special services will work now. The law in Russia has been obliterated. And those who brought all these deaths, torture, rape from Russia will take them home.

Everywhere in the seized territory, the occupier destroys any basis for life – economy, social sphere, culture…

Depriving the entire Russian society of a normal economy, a decent life and respect for any human value will be the price for the fact that one person in Russia wants this war to continue.

This can still be stopped. But to stop it, you have to stop that one in Russia who wants war more than life. Your life, citizens of Russia.

Today, the Russian army inflicted another vile attack on civilians in Mykolaiv – a shell exploded near a public transport stop. There are dead, there are wounded… Again shelling of Kharkiv, the Sumy region, fierce shelling in Donbas, in the south of Ukraine.

All this can be stopped in only one way: liberation. And before Russia came, there was normal life everywhere on Ukrainian land. And when Russia leaves, when we oust it, normal life will return. This is the only way. This is the way to our victory.

We cannot know how long it will take to complete this path. But we know that no Russian manipulation and no Russian crime can push us off this path.

Today we managed to release six more of our citizens from Russian captivity. I am thankful to everyone who ensures this work!

Today we have new results on the frontline.

Today we received additional elements of aid from partners.

It will continue to be so.

Tomorrow is another day of our struggle, another day on the path to victory. Will it be special for us? It will be another day that will bring us closer to security and peace, to restoration of our territorial integrity. Because millions of Ukrainians fight and work for this.

A special meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, which I convened, will take place tomorrow. There will be decisions.

We know how to react to any Russian actions.

And finally. This morning I honored the memory of all the victims of the Babyn Yar. Eternal memory to the victims of Nazism! Eternal damnation to those who repeat the crimes of the Nazis!

Glory to Ukraine!

October 3, 2022