Tag: President of Ukraine

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 13 September 2022.

Deputy Head of the Office of the President Andriy Smyrnov and Executive Director of the International Bar Association Mark Ellis discussed the creation of an international tribunal that will investigate the crime of aggression and try the highest political leadership of Russia.

“The scale of war crimes committed by Russians in Ukraine is staggering. Since the beginning of the war, more than 40,000 war crimes have been committed in our country. On the one hand, these are the direct executors – Russian soldiers and officers who raped, killed, tortured and gave criminal orders. But the main culprits are those who committed the “supreme international crime” – aggression and came to Ukraine with the war. This is Vladimir Putin and other top military and political leaders of Russia,” Andriy Smyrnov said at the meeting.

In order to restore justice and punish the perpetrators of this aggression, it is necessary to consolidate the efforts of the entire international legal community. Our goal is a fair trial and legal retribution, emphasized the Deputy Head of the President’s Office.

According to him, right now Ukraine should make it clear to all humanity that no one will avoid responsibility, just as Hitler and the leadership of Nazi Germany did not avoid it in the 1940s.

“In order to achieve legal retribution for the crime of aggression, we are initiating the creation of a special international tribunal, the mandate of which will be limited to proving guilt in committing the crime of aggression by Russia against Ukraine. I urge you to support this initiative. I urge you to use all your significant potential of knowledge and skills so that no culprit avoids punishment. For us to witness a fair trial and legal retribution for the country, the myth of whose power is crumbling before our eyes,” Andriy Smyrnov noted.

For his part, Mark Ellis said that he fully supports the creation of an international tribunal.

“The Russian leadership, in particular Vladimir Putin, disregarded the inviolable principles of international law by starting a war against Ukraine. Vladimir Putin committed the most serious crime – he committed aggression against your country. I believe that the court that will be created should focus on a narrow issue – Russia’s aggression. The International Bar Association and I are ready to support the international tribunal and do everything in our power to ensure that the crime of aggression is punished,” he said.

Executive Director of the International Bar Association Mark Ellis cooperated with the international tribunals on the issues of Yugoslavia and Rwanda, and initiated a program to support judges in Iraq. On his initiative, the eyeWitness to Atrocities mobile application was created, which allows to keep evidence of war crimes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the residence of the Ambassador of Great Britain to Ukraine and honored the memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The Head of State left a note in the book of mourning and laid flowers in the territory of the residence. Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his sincere condolences on behalf of the Ukrainian people to the United Kingdom and the countries of the Commonwealth.

“On behalf of the people of Ukraine and myself, I express sincere condolences over the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Ukrainian women and men share this great loss. We mourn with the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth of Nations and all subjects of the British Crown. The memory of Her Majesty and her selfless service to her people will forever remain in the history of mankind,” the Head of State wrote in the book of mourning.

Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak also took part in the ceremony honoring the memory of Queen Elizabeth II.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also talked with representatives of the Embassy of Great Britain in Ukraine.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 11 September 2022.

Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, Ukraine has been urging the world community to abandon abstract formulations and move to clear statements and concrete actions in order to achieve results and defeat the aggressor. This opinion was expressed by Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak on “VIP with Natalia Moseichuk” program on 1+1 TV channel.

“Today, Ukraine sits at the negotiating table not somewhere on the periphery, as we were used to, but in the center. And it says: no, these rules don’t work. Please stop talking about it abstractly, let’s talk clearly – that’s how it works. This is very important,” he said.

Mykhailo Podolyak recalled that for many years Ukraine has been considered a peripheral state in the world. But thanks to the resilience of the Ukrainian people and the state in the war with Russia, we began to be perceived as equal partners.

“The President has changed this paradigm. We should talk as equals. We suffer losses, we bear a certain responsibility, so why should we come and only ask for something? No, we are partners,” said the Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President.

According to him, today Ukraine has changed the formats of interstate communication and as a subject is much more powerful than before the war.

At the same time, Mykhailo Podolyak noted that from the first hours of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there was no feeling that we were in this fight alone – there was a large number of calls from foreign leaders with words of support, in particular from Great Britain and the US. He noted that the interlocutors assured that they would be there and help Ukraine.

“At first, in the first three or four days, our partners did not really believe that Ukraine would withstand the first hit. Then the support increased, the number of calls increased… But from the first day, I emphasize once again, we felt that Europe acutely perceives everything that is happening,” said the Advisor to the Head of the President’s Office.

Mykhailo Podolyak expressed the opinion that Europe and the world did not provide such powerful support before the full-scale war, in particular, because they could not fully assess the situation.

“The problems of this war are that the European analytical opinion absolutely did not understand its motives, did not predict Russia’s behavior and did not realize the strength of Ukraine. That’s why they made the wrong decisions before the war,” he is convinced.

The Advisor to the Head of the President’s Office noted that up to a certain point, civilized countries were afraid of the Russian Federation and did not want to abandon the conservative view of the bipolar world, where Russia is an element that must be taken into account.

“It had to be broken. And for a certain time the world was breaking down and did not want to admit it. And today they provide almost all types of weapons. Simply given the intensity of the war, that amount of weapons is no longer enough,” said Mykhailo Podolyak.

According to the Advisor to the Head of the President’s Office, significant changes are also taking place in Ukrainian society and the country’s political life.

“Everything will change significantly. There will be new leaders, there will be new political parties. There will be much less pro-Russian mood, no one will speculate, as OPZZh or the Party of the Regions did before, on some specifically pro-Russian slogans. There will be new forces,” Mykhailo Podolyak is convinced.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 11 September 2022.

Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak held a meeting with former executive chairman and CEO of Google, former executive chairman and technology advisor of Alphabet Eric Schmidt.

Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov also took part in the meeting.

Eric Schmidt has previously worked with the US Department of Defense on innovation issues, and his family has established philanthropic foundations in the areas of sustainable development and responsible use of natural resources.

Andriy Yermak thanked the businessman for the support and assistance he provided to Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion.

“We greatly appreciate everything you have done for our country,” he emphasized.

For his part, Eric Schmidt noted that he is happy to help Ukraine.

“What is happening in your country because of this war is terrible,” said the former CEO of Google.

The interlocutors paid special attention to opportunities for deepening cooperation.

Andriy Yermak and Eric Schmidt discussed technological solutions that could help Ukraine accelerate the de-occupation of territories, restore its territorial integrity and return to a safe and peaceful life.

The businessman also noted the importance of supporting talented youth capable of quickly changing the future.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 11 September 2022.

The creation of a tribunal on the crime of aggression is a matter not of the war in Ukraine, but of the maturity of the entire civilized world, which it lacked in 2008, when Russia came with aggression to Georgia, and in 2014, when the Russian Federation came to Crimea and Donbas. This was stated by Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Smyrnov during the panel discussion “Crime and Punishment – War Crimes, Genocide and Tribunal” at the 17th Yalta European Strategy (YES) meeting.

“I am deeply convinced that our competent authorities, the Prosecutor General, investigative bodies will bring every case of every war crime to its logical conclusion. The question that remains on the table all over the planet is the question of the courage to call international criminals international criminals. Before the mad dictators come with a territorial claim to each of your countries,” explained the Deputy Head of the President’s Office.

According to him, Ukraine is confident that there is currently no alternative to the special tribunal.

“We understand that we do not in any way overlap with the mandate and jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. We ask the world to create a special international tribunal for the crime of aggression. We urge the world not to be afraid to call a spade a spade. The crime of aggression is very easy to prove. All facts are documented both by Ukraine and international partners. The circle of people involved, in addition to Putin, is known to everyone. The proof mechanism is as simple as possible. There is no need to wait until the end of the war and the victory of Ukraine. It must be done today and now,” Andriy Smyrnov stressed.

The creation of the international tribunal was supported by President of Latvia Egils Levits. “The International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court are already working on the crime of genocide. And Latvia supported this lawsuit against Russia. But we need a special tribunal that will make it possible to hold the Russian leadership accountable for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. There are already precedents of such tribunals in the world: Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Cambodia, Sierra Leone. The most realistic way to create such a tribunal, in my opinion, is to sign an international treaty between the countries that support this idea. We are ready to sign such a treaty,” said Egils Levits.

Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin stated that the tribunal over the Russian leadership is not just a wish of the political leadership of Ukraine, but a demand of the entire Ukrainian society.

“The fact that Russia committed a crime of aggression against Ukraine cannot be disputed. The aggressor must be punished. Countries that do not support the idea of the tribunal probably hope for a post-war normalization of relations with Russia. But I declare with confidence that Ukrainians will not forgive this,” said Andriy Kostin.

British barrister, prosecutor in the case of Slobodan Milošević, Geoffrey Nice, noted that Ukrainians became victims of a terrible crime – the aggression of the Russian Federation.

“And like any victim, they have every right to demand justice. Therefore, it is our duty as judges, barristers and defenders of justice in all its manifestations to meet their demand. The fact that the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, unfortunately, does not extend to crimes of aggression is an absurdity, a relic of the past. However, this should not prevent the international community from fully holding Putin accountable. In my opinion, the creation of a special tribunal is the right decision. And I am sure that the whole world will support that,” Geoffrey Nice said.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 11 September 2022.

The most effective and efficient damage to Russia and its military machine will be the recognition of the Russian Federation as a state – sponsor of terrorism. This belief was expressed by Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak during a panel discussion on the introduction and application of sanctions on the aggressor country, which took place in the framework of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) annual meeting.

Former US National Security Adviser, Ambassador Michael McFaul also took part in the conversation, which was moderated by chair of the editorial board of the Financial Times Gillian Tett.

As the Head of the Office of the President noted, since the beginning of the full-scale aggression, the Ukrainian authorities, in particular with the help of the International Expert Group on Sanctions Against Russia (Yermak-McFaul Group), managed to introduce extremely tough sanctions against Russia and its military and political leadership. Export control and restrictions in other areas were applied. However, this is not enough to stop the aggressor – the world must designate the Russian Federation a state that supports and finances terrorism.

“It is a very important issue that is facing us today and on which we are working very hard. Today, it is the so-called silver bullet for the Russian military machine – designating Russia a state – sponsor of terrorism. I think the next document, which we plan to publish soon, will deal with this very issue,” Andriy Yermak said.

According to the Head of the President’s Office, designating Russia a state – sponsor of terrorism by the United States will be an extremely powerful step.

Michael McFaul, who chairs the International Expert Group on Sanctions together with Andriy Yermak, added that the issue of designating the Russian Federation a state – sponsor of terrorism must be raised constantly. According to him, as long as the Russian army is in Ukraine, Russia must get new sanctions every day.

He compared the imposition of sanctions with parking fines: “If a car is parked incorrectly, it receives a new fine every day. The same goes with sanctions: as long as the Russian army is in Ukraine, Russia should receive new sanctions every day,” said Michael McFaul.

In this context, the issue of abandoning Russian energy carriers was discussed, which, according to Andriy Yermak, although difficult, has prospects for advance.

“Of course, it is not easy for our European partners. We feel it. But the plans for a gradual – but already with quite clear terms – abandonment of Russian energy carriers look very optimistic. There is such a goal, and they really have concrete plans,” said the Head of the Office of the President.

He emphasized the importance of implementing these plans as soon as possible, because today the main income of the Russian Federation and the source of financing the military machine is the export of energy carriers.

“As long as this war continues, as long as Ukrainians are being killed every day, sanctions are definitely not enough. Russia must feel even more every day that this war will cost it very, very dearly. All Russians must feel it,” said Andriy Yermak.

The Head of the President’s Office noted that this is not only about the top leadership of the country, but also about all citizens of the Russian Federation who support the aggressive policy of their leaders. Therefore, it is necessary to apply restrictions to Russians, in particular visa restrictions.

In addition, Andriy Yermak emphasized the inadmissibility of proposals to mitigate sanctions against Russian oligarchs in exchange for their financial donation to Ukraine. Michael McFaul, for his part, called the proposed financial assistance completely insufficient.

“At a time when we are appealing to our partners to increase sanctions, it will be unfair and wrong for us to talk about any mitigation. Do we see a slowdown at the front? Do we see that they have stopped killing Ukrainians? Does someone liberate our territories of their own free will, without the success of our warriors? I think we don’t see it,” said the Head of the Office of the President.

At the same time, he reminded that today many countries are considering the adoption of special laws that would allow the use of frozen assets, primarily of Russian oligarchs, for the benefit of Ukraine.

“So if they have a desire to somehow help Ukraine, they have an easier way: they can turn to the governments of those countries where they have frozen assets and hand them over of their own free will, without delaying the process in the courts,” Andriy Yermak summarized.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 10 September 2022.

Ukraine needs reliable and legally justified security guarantees that would work and protect our state from the repetition of such a full-scale aggression committed by the Russian Federation. This was emphasized by Head of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak at the Yalta European Strategy (YES) Annual Meeting in Kyiv.

Together with ex-Prime Minister and ex-Foreign Minister of Sweden Carl Bildt and President of the Council on Foreign Relations (the United States) Richard Haass, he took part in a discussion panel devoted to issues of security guarantees for Ukraine. The discussion was moderated by Chair of the editorial board of the Financial Times Gillian Tett.

Yermak said that Ukrainians remember very well the Budapest Memorandum and other documents that did not protect our country from the full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation, which has been going on for more than six months, and the war that Ukraine has been in for more than eight years.

“Therefore, first of all, these should be very clear, very effective and reliable legal guarantees. Today, Ukraine is an outpost of democracy and the struggle for principles, ideals, and freedom. And Ukraine deserves to have clear security guarantees after this war,” he is convinced.

Yermak said that our country has never given up its desire to become a member of NATO. In his opinion, today it is hard to find more reliable guarantees than those provided by Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.

“And it seems to me that this war, the courage of our nation, the heroism of our soldiers should also change the attitude of NATO members towards the prospect of Ukraine’s membership. I think that strong players and partners always strengthen international organizations,” the head of the President’s Office said.

At the same time, he emphasized that Ukraine needs security guarantees already today and in the status in which our state is now.

According to Yermak, the group he heads together with former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen is preparing the first document with recommendations for the future treaty on security guarantees for Ukraine.

The head of the President’s Office also drew attention to the fact that one of the mistakes the world made was not taking preventive steps that would have stopped Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

“That’s why today we put all this tragic experience that we gain every day into these security principles. We have a clear understanding of which sanctions work, which don’t work, and how quickly they start to work. We see exactly what we need to defend ourselves and how to strengthen our defense capabilities,” Yermak said.

The head of the Office of the President emphasized that an understanding of what security guarantees should be is being developed in real time. And they should be not only for Ukraine.

“As President Zelenskyy said, today the response formula in 24 hours is needed not only in Ukraine. Because this war showed that no one in the world can feel safe,” he said.

Yermak also said that security guarantees should extend to the entire territory of Ukraine within internationally recognized borders, and this is the fundamental position of our state.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 10 September 2022.

Currently, no negotiations with the Russian Federation regarding the end of the war are possible, since the Russian side cannot formulate any adequate positions. This was said by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, when he was taking part in a panel discussion at the 17th meeting of the Yalta European Strategy “Ukraine: Defending All Our Freedom”.

“We want to end the war, but the space and opportunities have changed. Society does not want to talk to terrorists. Although one can communicate even with terrorists, because they know what they want,” the Head of State said.

Zelenskyy emphasized that as for the Russian side, there is no confidence that they will keep their promises.

“I think they won’t. No one believes. You won’t shake their hands,” he said.

As the President of Ukraine said, first of all it is necessary for the Russian Federation to leave Ukrainian territories and stop behaving like a terrorist who started a full-scale war against our country. Then we can talk about diplomacy.

“In order for us to open a diplomatic corridor with them, they must show political will, that they are ready to give back foreign land. Then we can talk at least about some corridors that open certain diplomatic steps,” Zelenskyy explained.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 10 September 2022.

The winter period can be a turning point in the liberation of the Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia, but for this our army needs a systematic supply of the necessary types of weapons. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this while participating in a panel discussion at the 17th meeting of the Yalta European Strategy “Ukraine: Defending All Our Freedom”.

“I believe that this winter is a turning point, and it can lead to the rapid de-occupation of Ukraine. We see how they [occupiers] are fleeing in some directions. If we were a little stronger with weapons, we would de-occupy faster,” the Head of State said.

Zelenskyy said that the Ukrainian military will only go forward, liberating the territory of Ukraine from the invaders.

“We are always ready to defend our land,” he said.

As the Head of State noted, Ukraine’s kind of counteroffensive began on February 24, when Ukrainian society united in the fight against the enemy and reconsidered its attitude to the homeland and native land.

“Everyone became one profession. This profession is a Ukrainian, the content of the profession is to survive. Therefore, this is our main counterattack. It has started, it is unchanged,” Zelenskyy said.

The President emphasized that Ukraine has no other way out than to defeat the aggressor in this war.

“All of us definitely believe in victory more than they [invaders], and that’s the main thing. Our main weapon is that we believe, know, feel victory,” the Head of State said.