Tag: Press Release

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

An expert group will be set up at the Office of the President of Ukraine within a week to monitor and analyze compliance with international sanctions against Russia. After all, it is important for Ukraine that sanctions packages against the Russian Federation are effective. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his address.

“It is important for us that the sanctions packages are effective and substantial enough, given what is already being done against Ukraine by the Russian Federation. If the sanctions packages are weak or do not work enough, if they can be circumvented, it creates a dangerous illusion for the Russian leadership that they can continue to afford what they are doing now. And Ukrainians pay for it with their lives. Thousands of lives,” the Head of State emphasized.

“Therefore, starting this week, we are creating a group of experts at the President’s Office – Ukrainian and international, who will constantly analyze the sanctions against Russia – what they really influence,” he said.

As Volodymyr Zelenskyy explained, sanctions should work as intended, without any possibility of circumventing them.

The President also stressed that Ukraine would not agree with the passive sanctions position of some entities regarding Russia.

“There should be no “suspended” sanctions packages – that if the Russian troops do something, then there will be some answer… We went through this story last year when we said that strong preventive sanctions against Russia were needed to prevent an invasion. The preventive package was not made. A full-scale war has begun,” the President noted.

According to him, there are now many hints at the possibility of tightening sanctions, such as an embargo on Russian oil supplies to Europe, if Russia uses chemical weapons in Ukraine.

“Doesn’t everything that the Russian military is doing and has already done deserve an oil embargo? Don’t phosphorus bombs deserve that? Don’t the shelled chemical production or nuclear power plant deserve that?” Volodymyr Zelenskyy concluded.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 28 March 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke in a video conference mode with Ukrainian journalists, who create a continuous round-the-clock telethon “United News” and tell citizens the truth.

The Head of State noted the honest and united work of the media representatives.

“Now, during the war – terrible, tragic, but for Ukraine definitely victorious – you really are an army. A large, powerful army. I believe that today you are a great hope, a foundation, one of those whales on which a man in an ordinary Ukrainian town stands, a man who stops tanks with his bare hands. Today, people like you are holding on to the truth that the Russians do not have,” the President said.

He supported the proposal of journalists to increase the participation of government officials and MPs in the telethon in order to better communicate government initiatives.

The President stressed that the Ukrainian authorities are constantly in dialogue with representatives of Ukraine’s partner countries. He thanked journalists for revealing to the world the image of Ukraine, which has been undisclosed so far.

“I want everything we do, everything you do, everything people do, our military, and all those victims were not in vain,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The President expressed his conviction that Ukraine would definitely win the war.

“We have definitely become leaders who have agency in the world. And we are not behind the scenes. It seems important to me. It is important that Ukraine has ceased to be a part of the Russian Federation for the whole world,” the President said.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 28 March 2022.

The most important issues in the negotiations with Russia are security guarantees, neutrality and Ukraine’s nuclear-free status; “denazification” and demilitarization are not discussed at all, said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview for Russian media from “Zygar” YouTube channel, “Rain” TV channel, “Meduza” portal, “Kommersant” and “Novaya Gazeta”.

The Head of State noted that at the beginning of the talks the Russian Federation issued a public ultimatum. It contained the same items that were discussed in the media, in particular the so-called denazification and demilitarization.

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, this was an informational throw-in that Russia usually resorts to when it delays negotiations, but wants to pretend that the process is ongoing and something is being done.

We do not discuss “denazification” and demilitarization at all. I said that we will not sit at the negotiating table at all if we talk about some kind of demilitarization, some kind of “denazification”. For me, these are completely incomprehensible things,” the President said.

At the same time, he noted that the issues of guarantees of security, neutrality, nuclear-free status of our country remain the most important, as Russia calls NATO enlargement one of the reasons for invading Ukraine.

The Head of State noted that this issue has been deeply elaborated, and Ukraine is ready to agree on it only if it has guarantees fixed on paper.

“I want it not to be another piece of paper like the Budapest Memorandum. We are interested in turning this paper into a meaningful agreement, which will be signed by all guarantors,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Verification of this document must also be carried out in the parliaments of the guarantor countries, and a referendum on this issue must be held in Ukraine.

“The Russian side needs assurances that this will happen. Therefore, the referendum. Because only the people can decide that there can be such a status and such guarantors. The referendum will take place in a few months, and the amendments to the Constitution will take at least a year. According to our current legislation,” the President stated.

At the same time, the Head of State stressed that holding such a referendum will be possible only after the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine. After all, when active hostilities continue in the country and troops of another state are present, “no one will ever recognize the results of this referendum.”

“We must have agreements with President Putin. The guarantors will not sign anything if the troops are not withdrawn,” he said.

“We met and agreed. Our agreement with him. With signatures, seals, even blood, doesn’t matter. And that’s enough to start the process of troops withdrawal. The troops must be withdrawn, the guarantors will sign everything, and all this will start working. Ratifications in parliaments, a referendum in several months, and only then – amendments to the Constitution,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy, adding that his personal meeting with President Vladimir Putin is needed for that.

As for the issue of the Russian language in Ukraine, the President believes that it can be resolved through mutual respect for the languages of all neighboring countries, which should also be documented.

“In general, I would like to cut off this constant argument about language. We all speak the way we want and the language we want. We have more than 100 nationalities in the country. That’s why I said: only a mirror respect for the history, languages, cultural values of all neighbors. I accept that. I am sure that our people will accept it if they want. Because all this will be decided one way or another by the people, the voters,” he said.

The President stressed that every next day of the war calls into question the use of the Russian language in Ukraine in general.

“People themselves will not want to perceive and speak this language, watch movies and so on. Especially when they try to instill love for the language through blood, as happened in the case of Ukraine. People themselves will not want that,” he said.

As the Head of State explained, if any national minority wants to open an educational or other institution, make publications in its own language, there should be mirror steps regarding the Ukrainian language.

“Respect for the languages of neighboring nations. I am interested in such an agreement, I want to sign it. I want to sign it with all neighboring countries. I am interested in Russia, Hungary, Poland – we have many historical issues, Romania and so on. We have many national minorities. And this agreement will be enough to respect certain languages both inside the country and abroad. Therefore, the issue of language, I am sure, will be off the agenda, because it will be resolved,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy summed up.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 27 March 2022.

International corporations that have left the Russian market fairly quickly and completely will be awarded a special Peace Award by the Office of the President of Ukraine. This was announced by Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak.

“With great gratitude from the Ukrainian people at this turning point in our history. They deserve the respect of Ukrainians and people around the world. After all, indifference and silence are complicity,” he stressed.

Andriy Yermak noted that Ukraine continues to work actively with global brands for them to leave the Russian market.

“Our goal is not a single penny to the budget of the aggressor country. Quite a few companies have already supported Ukraine and are leaving the Russian market. And I am convinced that those who still have doubts must make the right choice. It is impossible to support war crimes, it is inadmissible to conduct trade with war criminals and make money on the killing of civilians,” said the Head of the President’s Office.

Andriy Yermak is convinced that the “Peace Award” is very important today, because we live in a critical moment when the issue is point-blank: to support the evil that kills women and children, or to choose a democratic world.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 27 March 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the defenders of Mariupol had a choice to leave the city and save their lives, but they did not want to leave their wounded brothers-in-arms and the bodies of the dead there. The Head of State spoke about this in an interview for Russian media from “Zygar” YouTube channel, “Rain” TV channel, “Meduza” portal, “Kommersant” and “Novaya Gazeta”.

“There are our troops inside (the city of Mariupol – ed.). Where Russian troops can enter, they have entered. They did not enter certain parts of the city. Because there are our men who refused to leave despite their appeals,” he said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he regularly communicates with the defenders of Mariupol and members of their families.

“Every two days I get in touch for sure… I also told them that I understand everything, we will definitely come back, but if you feel that you need to leave and you feel that it is right and that you can survive, do it. I understand what it looks like for the military, but do it. I gave them that choice. And they said: we can’t, the wounded are here, we will not leave the wounded. Moreover, they said they would not leave the dead,” the President said.

The Head of State also said that there was an attempt to agree with the Russian side on the removal of the bodies of killed soldiers and civilians lying in the open air, but such removal was not allowed.

“The reality is that the city is blocked by the Russian military, all entrances and exits from Mariupol are blocked, the port is mined. The humanitarian catastrophe in the city is obvious. Because food, medicine, and water can’t be delivered. The Russian troops are shelling humanitarian convoys and killing drivers,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

According to him, due to the shelling, many humanitarian convoys returned without reaching Mariupol.

The President also confirmed that in the framework of the agreements, people were leaving the city using civilian transport, but Russia also organized the forcible removal of Mariupol residents to the occupied territories.

“According to our data, more than 2,000 children were deported. Which means they were abducted. Because we do not know the exact locations of all these children. There were children with and without parents. It’s a catastrophe, it’s horrible,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to him, these people are being taken by the Russian side to replenish the “exchange fund”.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 27 March 2022.

The Ukrainian side is ready to exchange Russian prisoners of war for Ukrainian prisoners of war before the end of hostilities. This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview for Russian media from “Zygar” YouTube channel, “Rain” TV channel, “Meduza” portal, “Kommersant” and “Novaya Gazeta”.

“Lists are being compiled. Our military, I know, made lists. There are lists of all those who are in captivity. I don’t know if everyone is interested in them. Politicians, I think, are not very interested in them. I’m just not sure that the Russian side needs these lists,” the Head of State said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that he stood for exchanging prisoners of war without waiting for the end of the war.

“It is not necessary to act according to some generally accepted canons: like let’s wait until the end of the war, or let’s capture more… I do not understand that. I believe that there is an agreement to exchange everyone for everyone, we have this number – let’s exchange for this number. Let’s not measure: 10 for 10, 11 for 11,” the President said.

He also noted that Ukraine does not want to leave the corpses of Russian soldiers on its territory, but wants to hand them over to the relatives of the dead.

“They (the Russian side – ed.) first refused, then offered us some bags… It all looks like… You know, even when a dog or a cat dies, people don’t do so. These are garbage bags. I don’t understand what people think, what the parents of these children think,” the President said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that for him, as the President of a warring country, such an attitude is unacceptable even towards soldiers of an enemy state.

“It’s not cattle. And why is it dreadful? Because if this is the attitude towards their own people, then what is the attitude towards everyone else? And we are definitely not “friends” for the Russian government,” he concluded.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 26 March 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda held a video conference. The President of Ukraine thanked his Polish counterpart for sheltering Ukrainian refugees.

Andrzej Duda said that as of now, Poland has sheltered 2.3 million Ukrainians. According to him, the country provides them with everything they need.

The presidents and representatives of their offices discussed the functioning of Ukraine’s energy system in Europe’s single energy network. The energy ministers of the two countries were instructed to continue consultations after the talks.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated the need to prevent shelling of Ukrainian cities from the air. The President of Ukraine expressed disappointment that Soviet-made aircraft available in Eastern European countries, in particular Poland, have not yet been handed over to our state. Although both these countries and the United States have publicly stated their readiness to make such a decision.

“The price of delay with planes is thousands of lives of Ukrainians, which we are losing from missile and air strikes on peaceful Ukrainian cities,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

According to him, aircraft, tanks and long-range air defense systems would allow Ukraine to really defend freedom throughout our territory and drastically change the course of hostilities.

“If the partners do not help Ukraine with planes and tanks, and they have such opportunities, there is a high risk that Russian troops will pose not only a missile threat to the territory of our neighbors – friendly Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and the Baltic States, but also direct general military threat. On their borders, near their cities. And they will go further,” the Ukrainian Head of State said.

As the conversation between the Presidents was coming to an end, Lviv was hit by Russian missiles. Lviv is located 50 kilometers from the Polish border.

After the conversation, Volodymyr Zelenskyy contacted the defenders of Mariupol who also said that the city was under devastating airstrikes. Nevertheless, the military assured that they are determined to defend Mariupol.