Tag: 2022

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 3 July 2022.

On the Day of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the Golden Star Orders to the servicemen who were awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine, as well as other state awards to the Ukrainian defenders.

He emphasized that Ukraine is proud of every soldier of the Navy, because from the very beginning of the Russian aggression, they decently rebuff the enemy and inflict significant losses on him.

“They forced the enemy fleet to leave the coastal sea zone and abandon artillery shelling of the coast. The cruiser “Moskva”, other Russian warships and landing craft felt the power of our modern missile weapons,” stated Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to him, thanks to the skillful actions of the Ukrainian military, the enemy’s naval landing operation was thwarted.

The President noted that the heroic actions of the marines in Donbas, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson region, Mykolaiv region and Odesa region have deserved eternal respect and gratitude of the Ukrainian people.

Naval aviators also excelled in the fight against the Russian army, the Head of State emphasized.

“Enemy missiles, planes and helicopters destroyed by Ukrainian sailors prevent the aggressor from reaching their targets, save critical infrastructure facilities, and most importantly – save the lives of our Ukrainian citizens! Ukraine is proud of all of you, is inspired by your successes, especially in combat, supports you, shares the pain of losses and believes in the resilience of the officers and sailors of the domestic fleet, their indomitability, invincibility, our common victory,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.

The President stated that increasing the capabilities of the Navy will always be a priority of the government.

“We aspired and did everything to make the Ukrainian fleet a model of power and modernity and become a true pride of our state. To make us a maritime state not in the distant memories of the past, but in the real present and the near future,” he said.

The Head of State expressed his conviction that the high professionalism of the Navy, skillful use of modern weapons and military equipment will surely send the rest of the Russian aggressor’s fleet in pursuit of the “Russian ship”.

On behalf of the Ukrainian state and people, the President expressed gratitude to the personnel of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the heroic performance of military duty, courage and self-sacrifice that they demonstrate every day in battles against the occupiers. He wished the Ukrainian military sailors good health, an indomitable morale and the soonest possible victory for all of us.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that he is glad to have the opportunity to meet with the defenders on the Day of the Naval Forces and present them with well-deserved state awards.

The attendees also commemorated those killed defending the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine with a moment of silence.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized: we will always be grateful to everyone who fought fiercely against the Russian invaders at sea, on land and in the air, showed remarkable heroism, resilience and invincible character, and we will always remember the feat of each and every one who gave their lives for Ukraine.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 1 July 2022.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his belief that Ukraine will pass all the necessary laws and carry out all the reforms important for obtaining full membership in the European Union. But it will happen in order of priority. The Head of State said this during a conversation with media representatives following the negotiations with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in Kyiv.

“The acquisition of the candidacy is completely transparent, and many countries have been moving towards this for years. We have completed this path in 115 days precisely because we acted very quickly, talked, negotiated, voted, passed laws. Even difficult laws – the Anticorruption Strategy, the Istanbul Convention – very important, complex things that have not been adopted in the Verkhovna Rada for decades. I am glad that the states supported us, that we obtained this status,” said the President.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine will fulfill all criteria for EU membership, which are primarily recommendations, not requirements. In particular, a contest for the position of Head of the National Anticorruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) will be announced in the near future.

“The whole world understands that the main reform currently taking place in Europe is being carried out by Ukraine. It is us who are doing everything to ensure that the European Union and NATO are united. And they are united like never before. This is the main reform that Ukraine has already made – the people and the government were united in this reform. Unfortunately, the price of this reform is very high,” the Head of State said.

According to the President, there is a lot of trust in Ukraine today in the international arena, as the world community sees at what pace our country is progressing on the way to full membership in the European Union.

“So all reforms will be made, passed – I have no doubt about that. But everything will be done in the order of priority for our state,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.

The President also emphasized that we cannot allow the decrease in the attention of European countries to the war in Ukraine.

“We understand that the distance of the war can be reduced in a day, two, three. Today, missiles fly hundreds of kilometers in minutes, so war is very close. All countries should understand this and should not wait for the war to enter their homes and knock on their doors. Therefore, it is very important that the attention to the war does not decrease,” the Head of State said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that the leaders of foreign states and the international mass media should explain to their societies the consequences of this war and the importance of supporting Ukraine.

For his part, the Prime Minister of Norway noted that in no case can the world forget about the war in Ukraine.

“If you want to turn your back on the war, forget about it, ignore it – this is a very wrong position. Because the war will not go anywhere. That is why we must keep the focus of our attention on Ukraine, on its people, on the values that Ukraine is fighting for,” Jonas Gahr Støre emphasized.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 1 July 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre who arrived in our country on a visit.

The Head of State thanked the Prime Minister of Norway for the powerful support that the Norwegian state and society had provided to Ukraine and its citizens.

“This is an extremely important aid: defense, political, humanitarian. I am also grateful for the new support package that Norway has decided to provide to Ukrainians, totaling 1 billion euros. We appreciate it very much. In such a difficult time, real friends are by our side,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a conversation with media representatives following the negotiations in Kyiv.

He also noted that Norway, which is not a member of the European Union, fully supported the sanctions regime against the Russian Federation for aggression.

“Sanctions are the price for a tragic and bloody war. And today we discussed with Mr. Prime Minister how we can further strengthen this process,” the President of Ukraine noted and added that negotiations regarding security guarantees and sanctions policy would be continued.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy reminded that last night the Russian army had launched another brutal missile attack on civilian objects, in particular on a residential building in the village of Serhiivka, Odesa region. As a result of this attack, about 20 people were killed, including two children, and more than 30 people were wounded.

“This is not an individual strike and not an accident, as the Russian media say every day, it is a deliberate Russian missile terror against our cities and towns, our people. In total, during the four months of the full-scale war, Russia has already used almost 3,000 missiles against Ukraine. Such brutality of Russian actions only emphasizes how correct the decisions of our partners to provide Ukraine with support, primarily defensive, are. No state in the world should be left alone when there is such evil,” the President of Ukraine said.

He said that during the meeting in Kyiv with the Prime Minister of Norway, he had discussed further defense support for the protection of Ukrainian citizens.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also noted that before the meeting, Jonas Gahr Støre visited the regions of the Chernihiv region that were affected by the Russian occupation.

“It is very important for European leaders and people to see what is happening in Ukraine. And to bring this truth to Europe and tell society absolutely truthfully what is happening in Ukraine, who is fighting here, in what way and what evil Russia has brought to our people,” said the President.

Also, during the negotiations, the parties touched upon the issue of rebuilding Ukraine after the war. According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the first draft of the recovery plan for Ukraine will be presented at a conference in Lugano in a few days.

“I am very glad that Norway will also consider the possibility of joining the reconstruction of our state when the war is over,” he concluded.

The Prime Minister of Norway, for his part, expressed solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in the struggle for independence and noted that this is a struggle not only for Ukraine, but also for the fundamental principles on which Europe and the whole world are built. Jonas Gahr Støre assured that Norway would stand with Ukraine until its victory.

“This war is a violation of international law and the basic principles written in it. You have the absolute right to defend yourself, and we have the right to help you defend yourself. And we will use this right,” he said.

According to the Prime Minister, Norway will provide Ukraine with support in the amount of 1 billion euros to help people in need, as well as to rebuild after the war.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 1 July 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with former Secretary General of NATO, founder of Rasmussen Global Anders Fogh Rasmussen who arrived in Kyiv to participate in the first meeting of the Working Expert Group on International Security Guarantees for Ukraine.

This group is chaired by Anders Fogh Rasmussen together with Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy positively noted the willingness of Anders Fogh Rasmussen to participate in the development of the concept of security guarantees for our state, which it needs due to Russian aggression.

“It is important that you agreed to chair this important platform together with the head of my Office, the purpose of which is to fundamentally develop the mechanisms of specific security guarantees for Ukraine,” the President noted and emphasized the importance of uniting powerful experts with practical experience in this group.

“Unfortunately, today we directly feel what war is like. And Ukraine must build an effective security system for itself,” the Head of State stated.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy separately touched upon the issue of NATO’s role in the modern European security system. He noted that until now that system had not encountered such a war and therefore had not had clear response algorithms. At the same time, the President expressed his conviction that concrete and effective security guarantees could be developed using the example of the war in Ukraine.

The Head of State separately informed the interlocutor about the situation on the front, noting that the Russian aggressor is inflicting increasingly brutal attacks on civilian objects in Ukraine. According to him, this is real deliberate state terrorism, which has all the signs of genocide.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen expressed his condolences to the families of Ukrainians killed as a result of missile strikes at residential buildings in Mykolaiv and Odesa region. He declared his strong support for the people of Ukraine in their struggle for freedom and the right to live a free life based on democratic principles.

Separately, the former Secretary General of NATO emphasized that he would make every effort to ensure the effective work of the Group on International Security Guarantees for Ukraine.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 1 July 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal signed a joint statement on the decision of the European Council to grant Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU membership. The document was signed in the session hall of the parliament during the plenary session.

“Today, we are signing a joint statement, which is a signal of the unity of all branches of government and evidence of our determination to achieve the strategic goal of Ukraine, namely: full membership in the European Union. And signing this statement should mean the same as signing the application for entry – on the fifth day of the war,” the President said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy reminded that the record 115 days have passed between Ukraine’s submission of an application for entry and the EU’s response, during which the Ukrainian people have demonstrated the same cohesion for the sake of the European future as in the defense of our territorial integrity and sovereignty on the battlefield.

The President noted that during this time a large number of meetings, negotiations, rallies, concerts and other events were held in support of Ukraine and its European future. Also, thousands of pages of the questionnaire were filled out, the necessary procedures were completed.

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s path to full membership in the EU should also be rapid, and not take years or decades.

The President called on all civil servants today to perceive their duties as a struggle for our state and to work for the European choice of Ukraine, because the Ukrainian people with weapons in their hands not only defend their independence, but also fight for a choice of values – for Ukraine to be an independent state in a free, new European family.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that from now there will be the flag of the European Union in the Presidium of the Verkhovna Rada, which should become not just a symbol, but a task for all branches of government to prevent pauses in work and to make decisions necessary for Ukraine’s European path.

“We have to prepare the state for the start of negotiations on membership as intensively and as responsibly as we prepared the decision on candidacy,” he noted.

After all, the acquisition of membership in the EU is not only geopolitics or the realization of political aspirations, these are specific things, specific advantages that benefit the life of every person, every company, every state institution, the President noted. He reminded that the transport visa-free regime and aviation visa-free regime were implemented recently, access of Ukrainian goods to the European market was opened without duties and quotas, and Ukraine joined the energy network of the European Union. Customs and digital “visa-free regime” are next. Volodymyr Zelenskyy also called for speeding up work on “industrial visa-free regime” and cancellation of roaming charges between Ukraine and the EU countries on a permanent basis.

“The European path is just such decisions. Each of them strengthens our state, each of you. Together, they create new opportunities for the whole of Europe – thanks to the realization of Ukrainian potential. Europe is becoming stronger together with Ukraine,” the President said.

The Head of State emphasized: Ukrainians are aware that the European integration of Ukraine is a guarantee to all generations of our people of a free and prosperous life based on the best human values. And that is why it is an honor and a great responsibility for each and every one of us to participate in the realization of the European aspirations of our state.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked every European nation and leader who supported Ukraine’s candidacy. Separately, the Head of State noted the leadership of President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in building strong historical relations between our country and Europe.

Ursula von der Leyen, who addressed the participants of the Verkhovna Rada meeting in online format, stated: Europe will stand for Ukraine as long as necessary, as the courageous Ukrainian people are fighting for their country to have a bright future.

The President of the European Commission commended the way the citizens of Ukraine united for the sake of preserving their state, democracy and ensuring the work of all institutions. As a result, Ukraine became a candidate for EU membership, which seemed like an impossible task.

“Ukraine turned to the EU regarding the candidacy a few days after the attack. And you still managed to provide us with all the information in record time. We worked day and night to support you, but it was your efforts that led to this success,” said Ursula von der Leyen.

She also noted that along with supporting Ukraine in the fight against the enemy, European countries are also mobilizing efforts for its post-war reconstruction.

“Your European path and the reconstruction of Ukraine will go hand in hand. Huge investments will come to your country, and in order to increase this impact, investments must be combined with a new wave of reforms,” the President of the European Commission emphasized.

She urged to continue the reforms, to turn the already adopted laws into positive changes and further development of the state.

“There is a long road ahead, but Europe is on your side. We will follow this path until you open the door leading to your bright future in the European Union,” Ursula von der Leyen summed up.

The session of the Verkhovna Rada was also attended by government officials and ambassadors of EU member states. The attendees commemorated all civilians killed as a result of Russian armed aggression and brave defenders who gave their lives for Ukraine with a moment of silence.