Tag: President of Ukraine

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 30 September 2022.

A meeting of the National Security and Defense Council was held under the chairmanship of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The members of the National Security and Defense Council discussed the issue of another attempt to annex the territory of Ukraine and the escalation of armed aggression by the Russian Federation. The attendees heard information from Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service Oleksandr Lytvynenko, Acting Head of the Security Service Vasyl Maliuk and Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense Kyrylo Budanov. The participants of the meeting discussed ways of countering the attempts of the aggressor country to annex Ukrainian territories.

Head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration Pavlo Kyrylenko, Head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration Serhiy Hayday, Head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration Yaroslav Yanushevych and permanent representative of the President in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Tamila Tasheva informed the participants of the meeting about the so-called voting held by Russia in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. It was emphasized that numerous violations and manipulations with voters’ lists took place during the fake referenda.

In addition, the NSDC considered the issue of ensuring the collective security of Ukraine and the Euro-Atlantic space. The participants of the meeting listened to the reports by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna and Deputy Head of the Office of the President Ihor Zhovkva.

The measures that must be taken to ensure the collective security of the Euro-Atlantic space and Ukraine were discussed. In particular, this is the strengthening and expansion of the international coalition in support of Ukraine, the increase of military and technical aid to our country, the strengthening of sanction pressure on Russia, the implementation of proposals to guarantee security in the international arena, the activation of the strategy of nuclear deterrence of Russia by the countries of the Euro-Atlantic space, as well as countering hybrid threats caused by the aggressor country.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 30 September 2022.

Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak and former Secretary General of NATO and ex-Prime Minister of Denmark Anders Fogh Rasmussen note that the conclusion of the Kyiv Security Compact will ensure stability for the whole of Europe and prevent the recurrence of war crimes. This is stated in their op-ed for The Wall Street Journal.

The authors remind that an international group of experts under their leadership developed and presented to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recommendations regarding such a security agreement. Its primary goal is to introduce such security guarantees that will make it impossible to repeat the events and crimes that are currently being committed by Russia in Ukraine.

“We call for the creation of the Kyiv Security Compact. The principle is simple: Ukraine’s security depends primarily on its ability to defend itself. To do this effectively, Ukraine needs long-term commitments from its allies,” the article states.

As Andriy Yermak and Anders Fogh Rasmussen noted, when the Ukrainian army gets the weapons it needs, it beats Russia on the battlefield. An example of this is the rapid liberation by Ukrainian forces of the Kharkiv region and the de-occupation of more than 6,000 square kilometers of territory in the south and east of the country since the beginning of September.

The authors indicate that the recommendations for the security treaty were developed on the basis of information and results of discussions with experts from all over the democratic world: former prime ministers, foreign ministers, high-ranking officials and academics.

“Everyone we talked to agreed that there should be no limits on the size and strength of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” they state.

The Head of the President’s Office and the former Secretary General of NATO emphasize that security guarantees do not change Ukraine’s aspiration to join NATO, which is enshrined in the Constitution. In the future, membership in the Alliance and the European Union will strengthen the security of Ukraine, and security guarantees will protect our state while it is on the way to these structures.

“Ukraine needs to develop and maintain an army capable of opposing the Russian armed forces and paramilitary formations. This requires great commitment from Ukraine’s allies. Our recommendations include permanent investments in the defense and industrial base of Ukraine, the transfer of weapons from NATO, the exchange of intelligence data and the intensive conduct of training missions under the flags of the EU and NATO. We must make sure that the price of a future attack on Ukraine will be too high,” Andriy Yermak and Anders Fogh Rasmussen emphasize.

One of the examples of how allies can strengthen Ukraine’s security in the short term and long term perspective is the provision of modern and effective air defense and missile defense systems.

“In order to protect civilians and ensure the recovery of Ukraine, the Allies should supply weapons that will make it possible to close the sky from air attacks. Taking into account the danger to the environment that such attacks can cause, the international interest is for Ukraine to be able to effectively protect its skies,” the publication emphasizes.

According to the authors of the recommendations, security guarantees should come from the main group of allies of Ukraine – those who have significant military potential and those who are ready to undertake both political and legal obligations. We are talking about the US, Great Britain, Canada, Poland, Italy, Germany, France, Australia, Türkiye, as well as the Baltic, Northern and Central European countries.

Along with military aid commitments, a set of non-military sanctions-based safeguards should be maintained by a wider group of international partners. In this case, we are talking about the G7 countries and the EU, as well as other states that currently apply sanctions against Russia, such as the Republic of Korea and Japan. The security guarantees should contain provisions on the automatic restoration of sanctions in the event of further Russian aggression.

“The Kyiv Security Compact is something else. It is focused on providing practical material support to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to defend itself. The launch of the Compact depends only on Ukraine and the guarantor states. This means that, unlike the Budapest Memorandum, Russia does not play a role in the guarantees and cannot block their application in the UN Security Council. In the event of an attack on Ukraine, the guarantors will meet within 24 hours and decide what measures to take within 72 hours,” the authors note.

“Putin must understand that the democratic world’s commitment to Ukraine will not waver, that his war is futile. Therefore, it is extremely important that Ukraine receives guarantees against the background of the ongoing war. Prolonging and postponing the process will encourage the Kremlin to continue the illegal war for as long as it takes to exhaust Ukraine and undermine its potential, regardless of its own losses,” said the Head of the Office of the President and former NATO Secretary General.

It is also important that these guarantees are a signal to the Ukrainian people that the Allies believe in a safe and independent Ukraine, where people can work, live, and raise families, in Ukraine at the center of Europe and the democratic world.

“For this to happen, Ukraine needs to win the war, as well as have everything necessary to defend its security in the long term,” summarize the authors of the material.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 30 September 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held another meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief on Friday.

The participants listened to the reports of the military commanders of the operational areas about the current situation in the areas of the frontline, where the main efforts are concentrated, and considered the plan for the further liberation of Ukrainian lands from the occupiers.

Separately, those present analyzed the likely actions of the enemy in the near future.

In addition, the members of the Staff considered the issue of providing the defense forces with weapons and ammunition, and their distribution by groups in the most difficult areas of the front.

The meeting was attended by: Minister of Defense Oleksiy Reznikov, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhny, Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate Kyrylo Budanov, Minister of Internal Affairs Denys Monastyrskyi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov, heads of security and law enforcement agencies and logistics forces, as well as Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak and Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov.

Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky, Commander of the West Operational Command Forces Serhiy Litvinov, Commander of the South Operational Command Forces Andriy Kovalchuk and Head of the State Border Guard Service Serhiy Deyneko joined the meeting via videoconference.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 30 September 2022.

On the 81st anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak held a video conference with representatives of Jewish human rights organizations.

The meeting was joined by: Soviet dissident, Israeli statesman and politician of Ukrainian origin, Knesset member, chairman of the executive board of the Jewish Agency for Israel and chairman of the supervisory board of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center Natan Sharansky; Canadian politician, parliamentarian, ex-Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada in 2003-2006 Irwin Cotler; Canadian investor, entrepreneur, human rights activist and head of the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights, who works in Ukraine, Jay Rosenzweig; President and CEO of the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, member of the Canadian delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Michael Levitt.

The interlocutors discussed the importance of preserving the memory of the victims of the Babyn Yar tragedy and holding Russia accountable for the terrible crimes against humanity it is committing today in Ukraine.

“Decades after, hordes of murderers infected with the ideology of hatred returned to Ukraine. This time they came from the east, not from the west, they speak a different language, they have a different chieftain, but they have the same goal – to subjugate and destroy entire nations,” emphasized Andriy Yermak.

The current generation of Ukrainians feels the pain of the Babyn Yar tragedy extremely deeply, as we are experiencing the horrors of military aggression, he noted.

“We ourselves became witnesses of hell – here and now. As in the 41st, thousands of people are dying today just because they belong to the wrong people, from their (the aggressor’s – ed.) point of view. The tragedies in Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol, Izyum and dozens of other cities make the tragedy in Babyn Yar extremely close to modern Ukraine. The pain from this old scar was intensified by new wounds. We will never forget Babyn Yar. It is a place of remembrance for people of many nationalities and religions. They are united by the fact that they are all residents of Ukraine who faced absolute evil,” said the Head of the President’s Office.

He recalled that this year, with the beginning of the full-scale invasion by Russia, new victims appeared in Babyn Yar: in March, five people, including a child, were killed by a missile attack by the aggressor.

According to the Head of the Office of the President, today Babyn Yar is a reminder not only of previous, but also of modern crimes against humanity, which cannot be forgotten or forgiven.

Andriy Yermak invited human rights defenders to join the work of the group working on the creation of a special international tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine. Russia should be held accountable not only for war crimes and crimes against humanity, but also for the act of aggression against our state, he believes.

The Head of the President’s Office also urged those present to insist on a tough reaction of the world community to Russia’s holding of illegal “referenda” in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and to attempts to annex them.

“A tough response is needed – not just to condemn, but to make it clear what will happen next,” he stressed.

Andriy Yermak emphasized that no actions of Russia will stand in the way of Ukraine’s struggle for its freedom and territorial integrity.

“We will fight until our victory, because it is important not only for those who live in Ukraine today, but also in the name of those who gave their lives, whom we remember and honor. Criminals must bear responsibility to the whole civilized world,” the Head of the President’s Office summarized.

The representatives of Jewish human rights organizations, for their part, emphasized the importance of preserving the memory not only of the innocent victims of World War II, but also of modern Ukrainians. The President of the Russian Federation and the entire top Russian leadership must be held accountable for the crimes against humanity they commit in Ukraine. Human rights defenders expressed their support for the creation of a special international tribunal regarding the crime of aggression against Ukraine in order to bring the leadership of the Russian Federation to justice.

“I am sure that Putin will be defeated. It is very important to establish an international court for crimes against humanity committed by the leadership of Russia. This is genocide, because they decided which nation should exist and which should not,” said Natan Sharansky.

He also added that the coordinated work of many leaders and lawyers is necessary to condemn the terrible crimes against humanity committed by the Russian leadership.

Canadian politician Irwin Cotler, for his part, noted: “The creation of a special tribunal for Russia’s crimes against Ukraine is a necessary and urgent step that must be taken to make the Russian leadership responsible for this aggression in the same way that they will be responsible for crimes against humanity and incitement to genocide. I hope the international community will start moving in this direction.”

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 30 September 2022.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that there can be no neutrality in the fight against evil. He is hopeful Switzerland will increase its support for Ukraine. The Head of State said this during a conversation with the university community and public figures of Switzerland.

“I would very much like Switzerland to be able to block Russian assets, so that we could absolutely fairly receive compensation for the occupation of Ukrainian territories and for the aggression that Russia committed against Ukraine,” the Head of State said, answering the students’ questions.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the citizens of Switzerland to convey the truth about the events in Ukraine to Europe.

“It is important to tell what is happening so that support for Ukraine does not decrease. For this, people can come to Ukraine and see with their own eyes what is happening here,” he said.

The President also invited the Swiss to participate in volunteer support for our country and join the implementation of the Fast Recovery Plan.

“The academic year has begun, many schools and universities have been bombed, and they need to be repaired and restored. Both finance and technical assistance are needed here,” the Head of State said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that there should be no place for neutrality in the issue of the struggle between good and evil.

The President is also hopeful that China will play a greater role in ending the war by influencing Russia and supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The President noted that Ukraine would actively work to develop relations with China.

The Head of State emphasized the importance of unity of European countries in difficult times, as the price of such unity is very high for Ukraine. He expressed conviction that any country under threat of aggression should not be alone with the enemy. The aggressor must know that he will receive a quick and powerful response from the whole world.

“It is inspiring that we managed to boost the morale in Europe, that Europe is united. The whole world believes now that this is how you can protect democracy, this is how you need to protect freedom,” the President stated.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also expressed his belief that after the victory, Ukraine will become a full member of the European Union.

“We have already obtained the status of a candidate – we worked hard on this even during the war… The country chose the path to the European Union. There is no doubt that within two or three years we will receive membership in the European Union. At least we are clearly proceeding – both legislatively and in dialogue with our partners. And most of the EU countries already see us there,” the Head of State emphasized.

He noted that Ukraine is on the way to NATO membership and is simultaneously preparing an agreement on security guarantees.

“We have developed a serious document – recommendations for this agreement for a circle of countries – guarantors of security for Ukraine. We really need this agreement. And it is extremely needed on the way to NATO,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted and added that it is not known how long this path will last, but our country needs security on it.

“These two directions, which I mentioned, already indicate that Ukraine will be a European state,” he stated and noted that thanks to the powerful army and combat experience, Ukraine will also be one of the safest countries.

 

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 29 September 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the delegation of the National Assembly of France led by its President Yaël Braun-Pivet.

The President noted that the first-ever visit of the head of the lower house of the French Parliament to Ukraine, which is taking place at a crucial time for our country, is clear evidence of solidarity on the part of the French Republic, support for the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

During the meeting, the key attention was paid to the illegal holding of sham referenda in the temporarily occupied territories of our country and the world’s reaction to it.

“With its aggressive policy, Russia continues artificial referenda, and it is very important that all our partners, all leaders of the civilized world, and certainly France, support Ukraine and condemn these fake referenda as strongly as possible,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The importance of the fact that France categorically does not recognize the sham referenda that Russia held in the occupied territories of Ukraine was noted separately.

The President noted that the Ukrainian side counts on the strengthening of EU sanctions and the approval of the eighth package of sanctions, which should be much stronger than the previous ones and synchronized with the illegal decisions of the Russian Federation as soon as possible.

The Head of State emphasized the significant defense support for Ukraine from France and noted the special role of President Emmanuel Macron in this matter. Emphasis was placed on the need to continue and enhance military-technical aid.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine received the status of a candidate for joining the European Union precisely during the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union. In this regard, the Head of State thanked the President of the French Republic and the entire French people for their broad support for the European integration of our country, and also expressed his belief in Ukraine’s continued progress on this path.

“We saw how the French society supported us on the streets of France at the beginning of the aggression, and then at the time of solving an important geopolitical issue regarding the candidacy and EU membership,” the President said.

Discussing the topic of Russia’s nuclear blackmail of the world at the Zaporizhzhia NPP, the Head of State thanked France and President Emmanuel Macron personally for the active efforts in organizing the visit of the IAEA mission to the plant.

Given the scale and nature of the Russian Federation’s crimes in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the French parliament to adopt a decision on designating Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.

In the framework of the meeting, special attention was paid to the issues of important comprehensive aid that France provides to Ukraine (security, diplomatic, political and financial), as well as promising directions for its increase, taking into account the current needs of our country.

On the eve of the 90th Holodomor anniversary, the President of Ukraine urged French legislators to recognize this tragedy as an act of genocide of the Ukrainian people.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 29 September 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had another phone call with Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi. The main topic of the negotiations was the sham referenda organized by the Russian aggressor in the occupied territories.

The interlocutors discussed in detail the appropriate reaction to sham referenda.

“They are worthless and do not change reality. The territorial integrity of Ukraine will be restored. And our reaction to Russia’s recognition of their results will be very tough,” the Head of State emphasized.

Emphasis was placed on the need for a firm reaction from the world’s leading states in the event of the Kremlin’s recognition of sham referenda. Separately, the leaders noted the importance of building a system of effective security guarantees for Ukraine with the involvement of key partners of our country, in particular Italy.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed the interlocutor about the situation at the front, emphasizing the vital need for Ukraine to further strengthen the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the successful return of Ukrainian territories.

While discussing the defense support of Ukraine, the parties exchanged views on the possibility of continuation of such assistance from Italy, which is extremely important, in particular, for the protection of citizens and civil infrastructure.

The President of Ukraine separately noted the important personal role of Mario Draghi and expressed gratitude for the active support of the Italian Republic for the independence and sovereignty of our state.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also noted the personal role of the Prime Minister of Italy in the formation of a new quality of Ukrainian-Italian relations.

“We laid the foundation for their further effective development for the benefit of the peoples of both states,” the President emphasized.

He separately thanked Mario Draghi for supporting our country on the way to European integration and granting the status of a candidate country.

“As a sign of our gratitude, you have been awarded the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise of the 1st degree. On the Walk of the Brave in Kyiv, among the names of political leaders who have supported Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, your name is now also included. I am hopeful to have the opportunity to meet with you in the near future in Kyiv and personally present a high state award,” said the Head of State.

During the meeting, the parties also expressed confidence that Italy would maintain a high level of support for Ukraine even after the formation of a new government following the recent parliamentary elections in the Italian Republic.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 29 September 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone call with President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda.

The key attention was paid to the international reaction to the sham “referenda” held by Russia in the temporarily occupied territories of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Andrzej Duda for the strong support for Ukraine expressed during his speech at the opening of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, as well as for Poland’s clear position on non-recognition of the so-called referenda.

The interlocutors agreed on the need for a powerful consolidated reaction of the world to the illegal actions of the Russian Federation, which undermine the foundations of international law. Specific steps and measures that the parties will work on in this context were discussed.

The heads of state also discussed the issue of military and defense cooperation. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted Poland’s invaluable contribution to strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities and the importance of further increased support for our country.

The President of Ukraine congratulated Poland on the official opening of the Baltic Pipeline. “This is a significant event for building up security and strengthening the energy independence of the entire region,” he noted.

The Presidents of Ukraine and Poland exchanged views on topical issues of bilateral relations. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted the decrease in queues at the Ukrainian-Polish border and emphasized the importance of further efforts to increase the throughput capacity of the relevant points.

The Ukrainian President also emphasized the interest of the Ukrainian side in introducing joint border and customs control at all checkpoints and speeding up work on a bilateral agreement in this area.

The leaders separately praised the launch of a new format of cooperation between the first ladies – within the Lublin Triangle – on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 29 September 2022.

Ukraine is determined to return all territories temporarily occupied by Russia, despite sham referenda held there and threats by the Russian military-political leadership to use nuclear weapons. This was stated by Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President Mykhailo Podolyak in an interview with the Associated Press.

According to him, if Russia announces the annexation of the occupied territories of the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine in the coming days, nothing will change on the battlefield.

“We will liberate our territory by military means. And our actions depend not so much on what the Russian Federation thinks or wants, but on the military potential Ukraine has,” said Mykhailo Podolyak.

He emphasized that it is vital for Ukraine to return all lands captured by Russia. And this is important not only for our country, but also for Ukraine’s European neighbors.

“Otherwise, Russia will feel that it has the right to blackmail the world, raise the stakes, escalate the conflict, and consider itself the winner in the brutal war against Europe,” the Advisor to the Head of the President’s Office is convinced.

Therefore, according to him, in order to ensure stability in Europe, it is necessary to completely liberate Ukrainian territory.

“This is the only safeguard against the further spread of the war,” Mykhailo Podolyak stressed.

Commenting on threats by Russian officials to use nuclear weapons, the Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President said: “Of course, Ukraine takes it seriously, because we understand what kind of state we are dealing with.”

As Mykhailo Podolyak noted, threats from Russia cause concern not only in Ukraine, as a preventive nuclear strike could set a precedent for other countries in the world.

“If nuclear weapons are used now, in the XXI century, we will not close this Pandora’s box again. Because there are many unstable political regimes that will take advantage of this situation and start speculating on nuclear weapons and try to use them in one form or another, as they will think that this is permissible,” said the Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President.

As a member of the Ukrainian negotiating team during the previous rounds of negotiations with Russia, Mykhailo Podolyak has low hopes for the possibility of meaningful negotiations with the Russian Federation in the near future. He doubts that Moscow is ready to adhere to its promises, and believes that Russian officials only want to buy time to regroup and strengthen their positions on the battlefield.

“Russia constantly talks about negotiations in an ultimatum style, but it only speaks to an external audience, as it wants to ensure pressure on Ukraine from the side of our partners,” summarized the Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 29 September 2022.

On the 81st anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy honored the memory of all the victims of the mass executions of civilians by the Nazis in occupied Kyiv during World War II.

The Head of State laid flowers at the monument to the victims of the tragedy on the territory of the Babyn Yar National Historical and Memorial Reserve.

The President also honored the memory of the Jews shot by the Nazis in Babyn Yar by putting an icon lamp next to the Menorah memorial sign.

Baskets of flowers from the Head of State were placed at the monuments of the Ukrainian writer Olena Teliha and the Roma executed by the Nazis.

In addition, Volodymyr Zelenskyy watched the Black Cube installation dedicated to the 81st anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy. A model of Babyn Yar is installed inside the cube, on which a visual projection takes place; excerpts from the works of Ukrainian writers devoted to the tragedy are also voiced, and images symbolizing the tragic events of Babyn Yar are shown on multimedia screens.

The Head of State was told about how the Babyn Yar National Historical and Memorial Reserve was working to preserve the memory of this tragedy for current and future generations of Ukrainians.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that the world should do everything to prevent similar tragedies and crimes against humanity, which, unfortunately, still happen today, particularly on Ukrainian soil.

“Any inhumane regimes pose a threat to all humanity. Criminals who cause such tragedies must be punished. So that dictators and tyrants are reluctant to repeat something similar in the future,” the President noted.