Tag: President of Ukraine

The press release issued by 16 August 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with the deputy head of the independent group of world leaders The Elders, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and a member of this group, ex-President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos Calderón.

The Head of State thanked Ban Ki-moon and Juan Manuel Santos Calderón for their visit and attention to Ukraine during the full-scale Russian invasion.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that the topic of the war in our country should remain in the world information space, as it indicates the support for Ukraine.

“Now we really need support from the united world. We need people who are able to unite the world around helping our country,” said the President.

He noted that the world should make joint efforts to force the aggressor to end the war of aggression in Ukraine as soon as possible.

At the same time, the Head of State emphasized that Ukraine will need the help of the world community in post-war reconstruction as well. He also raised the issue of providing security guarantees for our country.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Ban Ki-moon and Juan Manuel Santos Calderón could share their thoughts on the development of such a system of security guarantees.

“If you, The Elders community, can help us with these matters, we would greatly appreciate it,” he said.

For his part, the former President of Colombia praised the courage and resilience of the Ukrainian people and Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally during this brutal war.

He believes that as many countries as possible on different continents should hear the truth about the war in Ukraine.

“This war is not only yours. Because what happened to you could have happened to any country,” said the ex-President of Colombia.

Juan Manuel Santos Calderón emphasized the importance of constant support for our state and maintaining the attention of the countries of the world to Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the situation unacceptable when one of the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council commits aggression on the territory of another UN member state and international mechanisms are unable to react to it due to the existing veto power.

Ban Ki-moon expressed hope that the United Nations system would find an answer to the terrible situation of human rights violations and murders in Ukraine.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 15 August 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with ambassadors of the United 24 fundraising platform – Ukrainian football star Andriy Shevchenko and American actor, screenwriter and producer Liev Schreiber.

They came to Ukraine to prepare new UNITED24 projects, in particular the launch of a youth program, the first participants of which will be the children of Andriy Shevchenko and Liev Schreiber.

At the meeting, the parties discussed the interim results of the platform’s work and the collection of USD 170 million.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that it is not only about the volume of charitable contributions, but also about the attention that the ambassadors draw to the topic of the war that Russia is waging in Ukraine. According to the President, the decrease in world attention to the events in our country is one of the main challenges today, as it affects the scale of international support, the pace of arms supply and the coverage of this topic in the media.

“That’s why visits that attract international attention are very important for us,” the Head of State emphasized.

During the meeting, the first sweatshirts from the Balenciaga fashion house were also presented. This is a model with Ukrainian symbols, 100% of the profit from the sale of which will be directed by UNITED24 to Rebuild Ukraine.

The guests also told the President about future projects of collaboration with global brands, which will be announced shortly.

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

On Youth Day, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with representatives of the youth community of Ukraine and international youth organizations.

The event was attended by representatives of creative youth, young scientists, military personnel and athletes. The meeting was attended online by representatives of NGO Ukrainian Volunteer Service, Building Ukraine Together (BUR), the charity fund SpivDiia, the World Congress of Ukrainian Youth Organizations, the Ambassadors of European Youth initiative, representatives of the Ukrainian Leadership Academy, youth councils and youth centers of Ukraine, activists of national and patriotic education (Plast, Sokil), representatives of the NGO Street Culture center.

The meeting was also attended by: Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak, Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine Vadym Hutzait, Deputy Head of the Office of the Head of State Oleksiy Dniprov and MP Oleksandr Sanchenko, who are co-chairs of the Council on Youth Affairs under the President, as well as co-founder of the Charity Fund Wilni-UA, deputy co-chairman of the Council on Youth Affairs under the President Taras Topolia.

Zelenskyy congratulated the participants of the meeting on Youth Day, which is celebrated for the first time in Ukraine on International Youth Day on August 12.

“We are proud that we have such an active, progressive and patriotic youth. This is our future,” the Head of State said.

Deputy Head of the President’s Office Oleksiy Dniprov said that the meeting was attended by representatives of all youth communities working in Ukraine and abroad, repelling the enemy at the front, and impressing the world with their achievements in science, culture, and sports.

Speaking about the participation of youth in the volunteer movement, the head of NGO Ukrainian Volunteer Service Hanna Bondarenko emphasized the importance of the existence of a special platform, thanks to which all those who want to can join volunteer activities.

First Deputy President of the World Congress of Ukrainian Youth Organizations Andriy Yakubuv urged the state to pay attention to the youth of the Ukrainian diaspora: they are showing extraordinary activity today, so it is worth strategically strengthening this direction.
The President supported this vision: “Many young people abroad are now asking how they can help. They should know who to turn to.”
Musician and public figure Taras Topolia, who is currently a volunteer of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, called for support for the initiative to assist the state in realizing the desire of young people to have their own housing.

“Many young people are currently abroad, they dream of returning to Ukraine. Over time, this desire may disappear. Therefore, I really want the state, and you personally, Mr. President, to help young people make their choice,” he said.

Topolia said that among the possible formats of such support are the provision of grant aid, the creation of cooperatives with the direct participation of young people.

Zelenskyy said that the issue of providing young people with affordable housing remains extremely relevant.

“We support this initiative. I am sure that all this has an impact on the economy. Number one is housing construction. The second is for people to stay, and this also influences the strength of the state,” the President said.

Board Chairman of NGO Youth Platform Zahariy Tkachuk said that many youth centers have turned from creative spaces into volunteer offices. Of the 300 youth centers, one hundred remain, and it is important to preserve them, and for this we need the support of the state leadership.

For his part, Head of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak proposed involving a youth representative in the work of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President and to consider the issue of youth policy at the next meeting.

The head of state called for the preparation of specific proposals regarding the situation with youth centers, taking into account the realities of wartime.

Two-time champion of the World Games, world and European champion in Thai boxing Oleg Pryimachov thanked the state leadership for the opportunity to represent Ukraine at the most important competitions in non-Olympic sports in 2022. Now he heads a volunteer battalion in his native Poltava region and trains fighters.

“Nowadays, sports have somewhat faded into the background. But I still want to emphasize its importance in shaping personality and the future generation. And don’t forget about sports,” Pryimachov said.

Chair of the Number Theory Department at the Swiss Federal Polytechnic Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland), Maryna Viazovska, who is the second woman in history to receive the most prestigious award in the field of mathematics, the Fields Medal, and the second representative of Ukraine to win this award, expressed her wish that during the implementation of the country’s reconstruction plan scientific projects were not forgotten.

“Ukrainian scientists working abroad can bring their experience. And now is such a moment when everyone sincerely shares their time. And several groups of scientists are working on very specific projects that could be implemented in Ukraine when we win, or can be started even earlier,” she said.

For his part, Senior Officer of a special unit of the National Guard of Ukraine, Dmytro Buchatsky, emphasized the importance of using the latest information systems in the Armed Forces.

“Therefore, I ask you to pay attention to young people, to the startups that are currently in Ukraine, and target them in the military sphere, because victory is now our main goal,” he said.

Zelenskyy replied that the state works in this direction every day, because technology is crucial for victory in the war and our future.

“At the level of the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the task is to attract certain companies. Many people have been found – from startups to companies engaged in the latest technologies. We found a large number of cyber specialists, we really have a cyber army,” the President said.

He said that since the first days of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has survived primarily thanks to the heroism and self-sacrifice of our military, but in the future, technology should replace human potential, which must be protected.

Paramedic of the Special Operations Group of the Maritime Guard of the State Border Guard Service, sailor Viktoria Tkach, emphasized the importance of forming respect for military personnel and the military science in society. For this, it is necessary that military service is not perceived as a punishment.

“The issue of recruiting and correct delivery of information about military service to young people is raised. These can be special recruiting centers that will help a young person understand that the army is an honor to defend one’s country. Motivated people build an army and do everything to win,” she said.

Zelenskyy said that he supports the idea of a network of recruiting centers and is ready to listen to specific proposals. At the same time, he expressed the opinion that the education of citizens ready to defend their country depends not only on this.

According to him, trust in the Armed Forces, law enforcement agencies and other services plays an important role, and this depends both on real concrete cases and on the relevant information field.

The President advocated shaping a unified state policy for the education of patriotic citizens who are ready to defend Ukraine.

At the end of the meeting, Zelenskyy presented state awards to nine participants of the meeting.

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

On Youth Day, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy together with his wife Olena took part in the ceremony of honoring the participants of the “Children-rescuers – war heroes” event.

This event is conducted by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine with the support of the President. It is happening for the first time. The participants of the event are young Ukrainians who performed the feat of a rescuer during the full-scale Russian invasion. The ceremony took place in the White Hall of Heroes of Ukraine in the Mariyinsky Palace in Kyiv.

“I am glad that we are starting the Youth Day celebration with such a very important event – we congratulate our young heroes. Your actions are bold and mature,” said the Head of State, addressing the participants of the event.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked children’s families who raised them to be brave and responsible citizens.

The President emphasized that today’s ceremony is taking place in the hall where Heroes of Ukraine are honored and commemorated.

“It is an honor for me to award you in this very hall, which has acquired a different meaning today,” he noted.

The Head of State thanked young Ukrainians for their courage and resilience.

“We can be proud of you, which means that Ukraine has a future that we can be proud of today. Greetings to all of you. You are great, our state applauds you. Thank you for every life you saved!” – said the President.

The ceremony was also attended by Minister of Internal Affairs Denys Monastyrskyi and Head of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine Serhiy Kruk who presented the participants with valuable gifts and sets of lifeguard uniforms.

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

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with founder of World Central Kitchen international humanitarian organization, chef Jose Andres.

The Head of State thanked Jose Andres and World Central Kitchen for the activities they launched in Ukraine and on the borders of our state, unlike some other organizations that should deal with such challenges. The purpose of these activities is substantial and important assistance to thousands of Ukrainians who are suffering from the war unleashed by Russia.

“We appreciate your help to Ukrainians from the first day of full-scale Russian aggression and your presence in Ukraine at this difficult moment. Thank you for devoting a significant part of your time to our country,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.

The President noted that World Central Kitchen started working on the Ukrainian-Polish border from the first day of the Russian invasion and helped forced migrants, and today the organization has launched activities in many cities of Ukraine and, among other things, creates new jobs for our citizens.

About 5 thousand Ukrainians are involved in the work of World Central Kitchen in our country, more than 500 catering facilities are operating. Since the beginning of the war, more than 130 million meals have been cooked for our citizens.

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the state is ready to support the activities of an organization of this level, which performs an extremely important humanitarian mission, in every way.

During the meeting, Jose Andres emphasized that World Central Kitchen will continue to help Ukrainians, in particular, support people in the territories that will be liberated from occupation.

“We will be ready to help the regions that will be de-occupied already in the first hours,” he said.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 9 August 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a meeting with the 42nd President of the United States of America Bill Clinton in the format of a video conference.

The Head of State thanked for the comprehensive support from the US at various levels, as well as for the personal support of Ukraine from Bill Clinton and his wife, in particular for the participation in the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen.

“The United States helps us prevent Russia from freezing this conflict. And this is exactly what Russia wants. We are well aware of what happens with “frozen conflicts”. It stretches for years, for decades. We cannot allow that,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The Head of State emphasized the importance of further enhancing sanctions on Russia. He called on Bill Clinton to use his personal authority to draw the attention of the world community to the shelling and mining of the Zaporizhzhia NPP and Russia’s nuclear terror.

“It is extremely important for us that societies where freedom and democracy are fundamental values do not lose the feeling of urgency of the war in Ukraine. That is why conversations like this one are very useful for us,” said the President of Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about the defense needs of our country. The interlocutors also discussed participation in future international events.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 7 August 2022.

On the occasion of the Day of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the “Golden Star” orders to servicemen who were awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine and to members of the families of fallen Heroes, as well as other state awards. The ceremony took place in the courtyard of the Mariyinsky Palace in the city of Kyiv.

Addressing the audience, the Head of State noted that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has tried to gain control over the Ukrainian skies, but even with a technical advantage, the invaders were unable to do so.

“Ukrainian pilots, anti-aircraft fighters and all those who defend our airspace have turned out to be much more professional, braver and more motivated,” he emphasized.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that many countries in the world have military aircraft and air defense systems, but only a few countries have truly combat-capable military aviation and know how to achieve victories in the air.

The President noted that Ukraine has already done a lot to strengthen its Air Force, but much more needs to be done.

“I am sure that the day will come when we will be able to say that the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has become not only one of the most combat-capable in the world, but also one of the most modern and technological,” he emphasized.

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, every destroyed Russian aircraft and helicopter, every downed Russian missile, every task completed by the Air Force means saved lives of Ukrainian citizens.

“On behalf of all Ukrainians, I want to thank you, each and every one who is fighting in the Air Force of our country,” said the President.

Those present honored the memory of the deceased with a moment of silence.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 6 August 2022.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting devoted to compensating Ukraine for the damage caused by the armed aggression of the Russian Federation.

He said that the issue of compensation for damages caused by the Russian invasion is an important element of the responsibility that the aggressor state must bear.

To develop and implement the compensation mechanism, the President created an ad hoc working group chaired by Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak, consisted of representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers and leading Ukrainian and foreign specialists on international law.

The meeting participants discussed the progress of the negotiation process regarding the forced withdrawal of assets of the Russian Federation in favor of our state and coordinated steps in this direction.

In particular, work on the creation of an ad hoc compensation commission through the conclusion of a multilateral international agreement with Ukrainian partners continues. This commission will be able to consider applications seeking for compensation for damage caused by the war. An important step to ensure the international legal basis for this mechanism was the adoption of a resolution by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on June 22, 2022, which states that the Council of Europe will promote and ensure the implementation of a comprehensive system of accountability for aggression against Ukraine by implementing an institutional compensatory mechanism for our state . Similar work is being done in the OSCE, the European Parliament, the UN and other organizations.

In addition, Ukraine is negotiating with partners on how Russian assets, which are currently frozen in various jurisdictions, can be recovered and used for reparations for the damage caused by the war.

At the meeting, it was noted that today our partners do not doubt that this should be done, and the only question is to find a legal avenue.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 5 August 2022.

People from 110 countries of the world joined the fundraising platform UNITED24, initiated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in three months of its operation and the total amount of charitable contributions exceeded UAH 6 billion.

The American actor, multiple-time Golden Globe nominee Liev Schreiber, one of the world’s most famous musical groups, Imagine Dragons, and the artistic director of the legendary Balenciaga Fashion House, Demna joined the UNITED24 platform as ambassadors in July.

Thanks to the operation of the platform, professional military drones were sent to the frontline – the first purchases within the framework of the Army of Drones project. A total of 78 Matrice multi-copter drones, 20 Fly Eye 3.0 drones and two Warmate complexes with 40 kamikaze drones were purchased.

In addition, with the funds raised through UNITED24, the MI-2AM-1 helicopter was purchased for the first time, which is mainly used to evacuate the wounded from the battlefield. It is capable of transporting two severely wounded and three doctors or cargo weighing up to 1,200 kg up covering distances of up to 600 km and reaching speeds of up to 200 km/h.

The fundraising by First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska at the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen will allow buying more than 50 vehicles. A total of 24 top-class ambulances have already been purchased and are on their way to Ukraine.

The President of Ukraine thanked everyone who joins the UNITED24 platform.

“Don’t stop supporting Ukraine. Every contribution is important to us,” Zelenskyy said.

During the third month of the platform’s operation, the Ministry of Health purchased 12 C-arm X-ray machines, 9 X-ray transparent operating tables and 83 anesthesia machine breathing systems. Ukrainian doctors will also receive artificial lung ventilation systems for children’s hospitals. Funds for them were raised within the charity matches of world No. 1 tennis player from Poland Iga Świątek: $191,000 from the sale of tickets, and another $100,000 were donated by the Johnson family from the New York Jets Foundation. For this purpose, the heirs of the pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson Brick and Jack Johnson personally visited Krakow.

Qatar Fund For Development also made a contribution to help Ukrainian doctors: $5 million were used for the purchase of ambulance vehicles and anesthesia machine breathing systems for surgical interventions in medical institutions.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 4 August 2022.

Ukraine seeks to expand ties with African countries and began this process even before Russia’s full-scale invasion of our territory. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized this during an online meeting with African journalists, in particular with media representatives from Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and Ghana.

“We in Ukraine are changing this policy. And we began to change it before the start of a full-scale war on the part of Russia. Even during the war, I appointed a special representative of Ukraine for the Middle East and Africa. We want to expand our ties. It is very important for us. We also strive to find different areas for investment,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The President noted that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is planning a tour of African countries in the autumn.

“I can’t do it now because of the war. I planned it before the war, and I am sure that I will do it after the war,” he added.

The Head of State recalled that already after the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia, he had phone conversations with the leaders of many African countries.

“We were able to raise this layer, which our diplomacy had previously forgotten about. And I believe that it is a common problem of Ukraine and the countries of the African continent that we did not get closer to each other during the years of independence of our state,” said the President.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is convinced that in the future Ukraine and African countries will have many joint economic projects. According to him, our state is ready to be a guarantor of food security in African countries. Ukraine also strives for cultural exchange. In addition, our state has one of the most developed IT industries in the world, a very high level of digital services for the population and is ready to share this experience.

“I believe that the African continent is an underestimated territory, underestimated countries and the potential of people. Because I know how underestimated our region and our people are. And now, due to the blocking of the ports, the whole world saw how much Ukraine has done and how much it can do,” the Head of State summarized.