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  • Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2022 Speech on the Sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2022 Speech on the Sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory

    The speech made by Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the Minister of State at the Foreign Office, in Westminster Hall, the House of Commons, on 7 December 2022.

    I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Daniel Kawczynski) for securing this important debate. Hon. Members have all highlighted the UK’s recently opened negotiations with Mauritius on the exercise of sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory, also known as the Chagos archipelago. The Foreign Secretary announced the beginning of the negotiations on 3 November. That followed discussions with Mauritius at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in June and at the UN General Assembly in September.

    I can confirm that negotiations have formally begun. Officials from the United Kingdom and Mauritius met on 23 and 24 November, and they had constructive discussions. They will meet again shortly to continue those discussions and negotiations. Hon. Members will appreciate that we will not provide any detail on the content of ongoing discussions or speculate on the outcome. However, I commit to and reassure Members that we will keep them and Parliament informed at key junctures through the process.

    The UK and Mauritius intend to secure an agreement on the basis of international law to resolve all outstanding issues. I anticipate any agreement will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 in the usual way. Let me be clear that both the UK and Mauritius have reiterated that any agreement between us will ensure the continued effective operation of the joint UK-United States defence facility on Diego Garcia. For more than 40 years, this joint base has contributed significantly to regional and global security. It is the result of a uniquely close and active defence and security partnership between two longstanding allies.

    The base helps the UK, US and other allies and partners to combat some of the most challenging threats, including from terrorism, organised crime and instability. The base is well positioned as a key enabler for maritime security, including the protection of regional shipping lanes from threats such as piracy. Diego Garcia also plays a key role in humanitarian efforts, ready for a rapid response in times of crisis or disaster in the region. That includes during the 2004 earthquake and tsunami in the Indian ocean, the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the 2013 typhoon in the Philippines. The base plays an important part in assisting the operation of the global positioning system, GPS, and helping the international space station to avoid space debris and prevent satellite collisions.

    We are alive to concerns about influence from malign actors in the Indian ocean. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary acknowledged these concerns when he gave evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 14 November. He assured the Committee that this is an issue we take very seriously and that we will ensure it is at the heart of our position during the sovereignty negotiations with Mauritius.

    Reaching a negotiated agreement on the archipelago will allow the UK and Mauritius, as close Commonwealth partners, to work even more closely together. This will help us to tackle the regional and global security challenges that we both face, along with our wider partners, and avoid the expansion of malign influences into the Indian ocean. It will include promoting human rights and maritime security while tackling illegal migration, drugs and arms trafficking.

    We are also keen to strengthen significantly our co-operation with Mauritius on marine and environmental protection in particular. My hon. Friend the Member for Crawley (Henry Smith) set out some historical issues where those challenges were perhaps not managed as well as they needed to be. The archipelago boasts incredible marine biodiversity, as well as some of the cleanest seas and healthiest reef systems in the world. They support six times more fish than any other Indian ocean reef.

    The marine protected area is one of the largest in the world. It prohibits all commercial fishing and extractive activities, such as mining for minerals, oil and gas, and it forms a substantial part of the UK Government’s Blue Belt programme. The area hosts many scientific expeditions, as part of our call for an international target to protect at least 30% of the global oceans by 2030. We will push for this ambitious target at COP15 in the weeks ahead.

    We recognise the views of the diverse Chagossian communities in the United Kingdom, Mauritius and the Seychelles. We recognise the diversity of views in those communities and we take those views very seriously. Although the negotiations are between the UK and Mauritius, we will ensure that we engage with the communities as negotiations progress, and I note the kind invitation from my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Paul Bristow) to meet some of those communities.

    The UK has expressed our profound and deep regret about the manner in which Chagossians were removed from the islands in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and colleagues have done so again today. I hope that sense of horror and dismay at what happened all those decades ago continues to be reiterated. We are committed to supporting Chagossians, wherever they live, through the £40 million Chagossian support package, which is funding projects in the UK and overseas. I commit to writing to the hon. Member for Wythenshawe and Sale East (Mike Kane) to set out in more detail how that work is progressing.

    We have taken other steps to support the community. On 23 November, the UK Government launched a new route to British citizenship for all Chagossian people and their children, free of charge. This new route will give anyone of Chagossian descent the opportunity to build their future in the United Kingdom should they wish to do so, holding British citizenship.

    I have talked about ways in which the UK and Mauritius could strengthen our work together. The backdrop to this is our close Commonwealth partnership and our deep historical ties. We are the second biggest export market for Mauritius, while Mauritius is our sixth biggest market in Africa for trade and investment. We are proud of the active Mauritian diaspora in the UK, and hundreds of Mauritian students study in our universities every year. Meanwhile, our tourists flock to Mauritius, accounting for 15% of its visitors annually.

    Mauritius is a leader among small island states in tackling climate change. The UK welcomes it as a new pioneer country for the Taskforce on Access to Climate Finance and will act as an anchor donor for Mauritius.

    Daniel Kawczynski

    I am very grateful to my right hon. Friend for giving way. The main tenet of my discourse this afternoon was to try to get a commitment from her for a referendum of the Chagossian people before any decision is taken. Can she give me that commitment?

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan

    As I have set out, we will be making sure that we have close discussions, not only with Mauritians but with those communities as well. As the negotiations progress, we will keep colleagues and Parliament abreast of how they are developing.

    As we look forward, we aim to work even more closely with Mauritius to tackle the incredibly important regional and global security challenges that we all face. We remain fully committed to ensuring the effectiveness of the base on Diego Garcia, for the benefit of regional and global security.

    Daniel Kawczynski

    I am very grateful to my right hon. Friend the Minister for the assurances that she has given, and for agreeing to write to the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Cardiff South and Penarth (Stephen Doughty), on some of the points that he raised.

    I heard the Minister say that there will be extensive consultation with the Chagossians, but I still have not heard from her lips that there will be an internationally recognised referendum. My hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (Sir James Duddridge) rightly asked questions about how it would come about—the matrix, framework, dynamics and legality of it. I could not agree with him more. There have been referenda in other parts of the world under difficult circumstances and people were able to cast a vote.

    I should let my hon. Friend the Member for Crawley (Henry Smith) know that I hope to meet Mr Bontemps next week. Mr Bontemps told me in no uncertain terms that, wherever the Chagossians are—Mauritius, Seychelles, Britain or anywhere else—they are up for remaining British. As part of the British family, our duty and responsibility first and foremost—trumping even international court decisions—is to those Chagossians.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2022 Speech on the Sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory

    Stephen Doughty – 2022 Speech on the Sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory

    The speech made by Stephen Doughty, the Labour MP for Cardiff South and Penarth, in Westminster Hall, the House of Commons, on 7 December 2022.

    It is a pleasure to serve under your chairpersonship, Mrs Cummins. I thank the hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Daniel Kawczynski) for securing the debate at this critical time of change for the Chagos islands, and I thank colleagues for the range of comments and contributions they have made to the debate.

    I am not sure whether to thank the hon. Gentleman for the comments he made about me at the start of the debate, but we had a very enjoyable trip to the Falkland Islands. I will be making declarations about that trip in due course. I agree with the hon. Gentleman’s characterisation of our united position on the Falkland Islands and our resolute support for them. That is the Opposition’s long-standing position, which I have reiterated on many occasions, including well before the visit and in relation to our position on other British overseas territories.

    From the outset, I gently say that I do not accept a number of the hon. Gentleman’s historical analyses and comparisons. Neither are they supported by the House of Commons Library briefing that has been provided for this debate, or by statements made by the Governor of the Falkland Islands and the Chief Minister of Gibraltar. When we talk about our overseas territories, it is important that we understand their distinct and different situations. The situation around the Chagos islands is particularly complex and nuanced, and we should take it in that vein and not make comparisons to other overseas territories.

    I pay tribute to colleagues across the House, particularly those with Chagossian communities in their constituencies, for the advocacy and support they have provided over many years on this issue, which is sensitive and painful for those communities, and for raising concerns about our diplomatic standing and commitments internationally. I express my gratitude to the all-party parliamentary group on the Chagos islands, of which I am a member, for its tireless efforts in keeping the Chagos islands on the political agenda and for meticulously scrutinising the policies of successive Governments.

    The Opposition welcome the Government’s decision to begin discussions with Mauritius about the future of the islands, but I will set out some detailed questions and concerns on the matter. We have to be guided by a few key principles, so my questions are not in order of priority. We must understand concerns about our national security and that of our allies and strategic partners; our compliance with international law and upholding our international obligations, and the consequences if we do not do that; and the rights and wishes of the people of the Chagos after decades of pain and hardship.

    I have personally met and heard from many different representatives from the Chagos community over many years. I have heard different views expressed by different parts of the community, but it is crucial that their distinct and different voices are heard in the process. We should also be concerned about other crucial issues, particularly the protection of the environment and the marine ecosystems around the archipelago, which a number of hon. Members have raised.

    This is a deeply complex issue, and I want to start with the question of the rules-based international order, which must be central to UK foreign policy. This historic injustice continues to prevent us from adhering to that, and I share the absolute and deep regret for the past actions of previous Governments, including Labour Governments. The actions taken in the late 1960s and early 1970s were completely unjustifiable. A number of us will have read the shocking documents from that period and the language expressed in them, which was completely and utterly unacceptable. We have a fundamental moral responsibility to the islanders that will not go away. I remain convinced that there must be a lasting resolution to this challenge that lives up to our moral and legal obligations, that draws on the views of Chagossians around the world and that is reached in co-operation with our partners and allies. There must be an apology from all of us—there certainly is from our side—for those past actions, but we need to look to the future and to what is being done for Chagossians today, not just in relation to the situation in the archipelago, but for Chagossians here in many communities.

    The ICJ in 2019 was unequivocal in its ruling that

    “the United Kingdom is under an obligation to bring to an end its administration of the Chagos Archipelago as rapidly as possible”.

    That was adopted after a vote of 116 to six by the United Nations General Assembly, which called on the UK to

    “unconditionally end its occupation of the Archipelago as soon as possible.”

    That was supported by the 2021 ruling of the special chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. Although the tribunal did not have competence on territorial disputes, it stated that

    “Mauritius’ sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago can be inferred from the ICJ’s determinations.”

    Unfortunately, the Government have spent several years simply ignoring and denying these developments, and that has damaged our diplomatic reputation with not just Mauritius but many other countries across Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and with a range of international legal and human rights bodies. Even the Maldives, which historically has been aligned with the UK Government position on this matter, recently changed its position to align with the rest of the international community.

    I take on board the comments made by the hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham on China and its expansion in the South China sea, the Indian ocean and beyond, and he raises some legitimate concerns, although I do not accept his wider characterisations of Mauritius. It is a fact that China has made increasing encroachments into the territorial waters of its neighbours and vast claims in the South China sea while ignoring judgments against itself. That has been matched by a growing assertiveness, and even belligerence, towards some of our allies and partners in the region, so I hope the Minister can set out what assurances we have had on these matters and on China’s activities in the region.

    It is my view that the inverse will play out if we do not resolve this matter, because if this is unresolved in terms of international law, it will only play into the hands of China and others who seek to undermine international judgments and law. When we want to call on China to comply with the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s judgment on the South China sea, it will say, “Well, you are not in compliance with the ICJ or the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea”. That could be the case for a number of other maritime and territorial disputes that it is in our interests to pursue and defend resolutely. We cannot have one hand doing one thing and the other doing the opposite.

    Of course, we must also do the right thing for the Chagossians. The various support packages that were announced have not been followed through, and very little money from that £40 million package has been spent. The last answer I had said that only £810,000 of it had been spent. That is completely unacceptable, and I hope the Minister can say something about that. What discussions has she had with all the different Chagossian groups located not just here in the UK, but in Mauritius, Seychelles and elsewhere?

    Daniel Kawczynski

    Will the hon. Member give way?

    Stephen Doughty

    I am conscious of the time, so I will not. I want to speak about the costs the UK Government have incurred defending the indefensible on the legal position. An answer I received said the UK had spent nearly £6 million on external legal services relating to defending cases that the Government then lost in the ICJ. That is clearly unacceptable at this time of pressure on the public purse. Could the Minister update us on how much money has been spent on defending the previous position?

    Citizenship has rightly been raised by a number of hon. Members, including my hon. Friend the Member for Wythenshawe and Sale East (Mike Kane). The Nationality and Borders Act 2022 created an entitlement for direct descendants of Chagossians who were not already citizens to acquire British nationality. I understand that the process opened in November, but I hope the Minister can set out what will be done to address the issue of Chagossians being denied that right to British nationality and to ensure they get what is rightfully theirs. We know that previous negotiations have not gone well and that they broke down in 2009, 2016 and 2017. Will the Minister speak about the tenor and tone of the negotiations and how we will ensure that they go forward in a constructive spirit to achieve an agreement?

    On defence, it is crucial that we understand, as many Members have rightly said, that the United Kingdom-United States defence facility in the territory plays a vital role in keeping us and our allies safe. It plays a role in monitoring drugs and piracy, and in the national security activities of regional partners. It supports allies from many countries, and it carries out nuclear test ban monitoring and regional humanitarian efforts. Can the Minister say what discussions have been had with our allies, particularly the United States, about those negotiations and ensuring we maintain our defence capabilities in Diego Garcia?

    On the environment and the maritime importance of the islands, we recognise the judgment in relation to the Mauritius Ports Authority, but, given the importance of the archipelago, it is clear that we need to protect that environment. What discussions have been had on that with Mauritius and other partners in the region, as well as with the Chagossians, who believe in protecting their environment and historical homeland?

    I will conclude by saying there have been some important questions asked today and some very reasonable contributions. I do not agree with all of them, or with the tenor of some of them, but this is a complex and nuanced issue and it requires a complex and nuanced solution. We want to engage with Chagossians here in the UK, and we will work constructively with the Government to find a permanent and equitable settlement that will end decades of pain for so many, while addressing legitimate concerns about defence, security, the environment and the right of return for Chagossians.

    The ultimate problem here is that this issue is hampering our diplomatic position in the world and having much wider implications. We must remember that this was an historic injustice committed against a people by a past Government, and those people have to be at the heart of any solution.

  • Alyn Smith – 2022 Speech on the Sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory

    Alyn Smith – 2022 Speech on the Sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory

    The speech made by Alyn Smith, the SNP MP for Stirling, in Westminster Hall, the House of Commons, on 7 December 2022.

    It is good to see you in your place, Mrs Cummins. I congratulate the hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Daniel Kawczynski) on securing this interesting debate. We have had a good exchange of views this afternoon. I am delighted to hear that so many colleagues are in favour of the right to self-determination, and we will be back in touch about that on more domestic matters.

    On the Chagos islands, I will try to strike a note of consensus with the old story of the American tourist who was lost in rural Ireland and asked his way to Tipperary, and the local farmer answered: “Ah, for sure, if I was going to Tipperary, I would not start from here.” I think we can all agree that an historic injustice has been done to the Chagossian people, and I hope we all agree that that injustice continues. Frankly, I am not interested in which Government or Department did it or how it was done. The British state has a debt to these people, and there is an injustice to focus on above all else.

    Starting from first principles, the SNP believes that people, not crowns or Parliaments, are sovereign, as my good hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow North said. We believe that the state should serve its people, not the other way round. Indeed, we believe that people should choose their state, not the other way round. We also believe in the right to self-determination, which is one of the main reasons why the SNP exists and is in business.

    We also recognise, of course, that international law is sometimes messy. Black and white is not necessarily one size fits all, especially when it comes to the Chagos islands. The way that this was done and the situation of the Chagossian people has been analysed in international courts and a number of credible, serious organisations. In February 2019, the International Court of Justice ruled that the UK’s occupation of the archipelago is illegal: that is a matter of fact. In May 2019, the matter was taken to the General Assembly of the United Nations and there was an overwhelming vote to condemn the UK’s continuing occupation of the Chagos islands. In January 2021, the UN’s International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea upheld the view of the General Assembly that the UK is in the wrong.

    What we have heard today is the reality of power politics and big-state politics, but we cannot have both. The Chagossian people are owed a debt by the Government, the Administration and all of us. I was glad to hear the hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Daniel Kawczynski) apologise, as I think we all owe an apology to the people of the Chagos islands.

    I have some concrete questions for the Minister. Talks have started with the Mauritian Government, but what is their timescale? I have seen one timescale that suggests they will be wrapped up in a matter of months, early next year, but that strikes me as a little ambitious. What is the Minister’s assessment of that timetable?

    Lord Ahmad announced funds to compensate the Chagossian people, but what progress has been made with them? The funds struck me as inadequate and the 10-year timescale seems rather longer than it need be. What are the ramifications and the details of that proposal?

    Where does the Minister think the UK’s credibility lies on this matter? I have spoken to a number of colleagues in the European Parliament and to representatives to the UN, and the issue is doing real damage to the UK’s credibility. The UK says it believes in the rule of law and in international co-operation, but this is an example where that is not the case. The UK Government need to take the issue far more seriously than they have done so far. The priority has to be the Chagossian people themselves and the historic injustice that has been done to them.

  • James Duddridge – 2022 Speech on the Sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory

    James Duddridge – 2022 Speech on the Sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory

    The speech made by James Duddridge, the Conservative MP for Rochford and Southend East, in Westminster Hall, the House of Commons, on 7 December 2022.

    Thank you, Mrs Cummins, for calling me to speak. I also thank my hon. Friend the Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Daniel Kawczynski) for securing this debate. He said he was going to focus on self-determination in particular, which is important. As other hon. Members have said, what happened originally when the base was set up and what happened to the Chagossian people was outrageous and wrong, and we apologise for that. However, I am not going to focus on that. There are bigger issues than self-determination and sovereignty—global security and defence.

    The base was set up in the 1960s for very good reason: to mitigate against the Soviet and Chinese threat. Those threats are greater and more complex now than they were in the ’60s and throughout the period of the cold war. It is unfeasible for the islands to be repopulated. I visited some of the outer islands, where there were lots of graves of small children, as people died very young. The business related to palms that sustained the islands was reducing even before the atrocity of the removal of the individuals.

    On the main island, the base is absolutely essential. It is home to an airport from which multiple aircraft, including spacecraft, can be flown. There is hardstanding from which tens of thousands of troops can be deployed around the world. In a protected area, there are a large number of ships storing military equipment. It is perhaps wrong to call them ships. They are seven or eight-storey car parks. On each level, there is bulletproof machinery, diggers, tanks, and armoured personnel vehicles that drive off the seventh floor into the water and can then invade land. There are 350 places around the world from which to deploy and sustain that level of troop commitment. It is a massive facility for global security and the defence of the world. We need to consider that alongside legitimate sovereignty and self-determination issues.

    There was originally a 50-year lease that was rolled over to a 20-year lease, and there is now talk of an offer from Mauritius of a 99-year lease. I urge the Government to think about Hong Kong. A 99-year lease seems a long time, yet we have seen what happened in Hong Kong with China. Whatever we do, the global community, which to be honest relies heavily on the Americans, needs that facility to protect global citizens. That should be at the forefront of the Government’s mind, while trying to protect and improve the lives of Chagossians here, in the Seychelles and Mauritius. I have met with all of them and there is a pragmatic understanding. There is a desire to move back, but there is a practical understanding that that would be very difficult, even without the American base and British sovereignty issues.

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Speech at the Human Rights in Dark Times International Conference in Kyiv

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Speech at the Human Rights in Dark Times International Conference in Kyiv

    The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 9 December 2022.

    Ladies and Gentlemen!

    Dear colleagues!

    Dear attendees, guests!

    Dear journalists!

    It is good that today there is a format of such an important Conference, exactly today – on International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime and on the eve of Human Rights Day.

    On December 9, 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. And the next day, on December 10, 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

    In 74 years, the norms of these and many other similar documents have united the world community. More than 150 countries have become parties to the Genocide Convention. More than 190 countries have endorsed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

    But is the world really united around the ideas that were the basis of these documents? As a matter of fact, there was no such unification around ideas, around values. We felt it after the beginning of the Russian war against people, humanity, against our state. Against all living things.

    We felt that many things that should work and protect against such a genocidal policy existed rather as, pardon, a formality. As a legacy from the old days that was simply dusted off when it was time for the annual celebrations.

    But now we are changing that. Together with everyone who today helps us, Ukraine and Ukrainians. And we are changing that not only for ourselves. This is a very important point. Again – for people, for humanity, for life.

    Every time we unite the world to protect Ukraine, to protect Ukrainians, every time we achieve decisions on the implementation of fundamental international norms, every time we manage to fill international institutions and rules with real power and energy, we achieve results – for Ukrainians and great results for the whole world. For everyone who may be threatened by this or that form of aggression. This or that manifestation of genocidal policy. This or that strike of terror.

    Defending ourselves against Russia now, we are turning the words of many conventions and declarations into concrete actions for the sake of people and, again, for the sake of humanity.

    By saving Ukrainians from Russia, we give hope to many other people, many other communities, other nations who feel that the same aggression could be launched against them.

    Working to bring the Russian Federation to just responsibility for aggression, for war crimes, for acts of its genocidal policy, we are creating mechanisms for the implementation of the norms of international law, which will actually serve to prevent international crimes and establish justice for decades after the end of this war, after our victory – the victory of Ukraine and the world.

    Ladies and Gentlemen!

    That is why we need the broadest possible cooperation. Both in our society and at the international level.

    The crimes of the Russian state on the territory of Ukraine and specifically against Ukrainians are unprecedented since World War II. Ukrainian cities, our towns, our villages, which the Russian artillery simply crashes into stones… Not one, not two – but dozens of such destroyed cities and villages.

    Aviation and missile terror, strikes by the Russian Federation, which are so reminiscent of the Nazi bombing of Britain and London. Of all the missiles launched by the Russian army since February 24, 62% were directed specifically against civilian objects, against people, against humanity.

    And there are also filtration camps. Real, modern torture chambers and mass burials of people were revealed. Forced deportation of Ukrainians to Russia – more than 2 million people were deported. Illegal adoption by Russian families of our Ukrainian children who were actually kidnapped from Ukraine. Criminal mobilization of Ukrainian citizens in the occupied territories into the occupation army. Mine terror against Ukrainians. Constant shelling, victims in the border area with the Russian Federation and in the frontline areas…

    All this is such a terrible scale of crimes committed and the destinies and lives of people destroyed. All this is a tragedy of such magnitude.

    To restore justice, our state needs the maximum possible cooperation of everyone – cooperation with the human rights community, with all international partners. There must be a single legal front that will overcome Russia’s genocidal policy.

    And that is why, addressing you and every day, I call on all government officials and all representatives of civil society who care about people, who care about humanity, representatives of various organizations, representatives of international human rights organizations, agencies to work now in a coordinated manner, together at all levels, together – for the sake of restoring the rights of people violated by the war, the rights of Ukrainians and for bringing the aggressor to justice, mandatory and fair. We have to find such a formula for cooperation, so that there is a maximum result for our state and for the international legal order.

    And I am glad that Chris Field is present among us today – it’s my pleasure, good afternoon – President of the International Ombudsman Institute, a representative of a system whose potential can provide much more for the protection of human rights for Ukraine.

    Let me explain what I mean. For example, the Ukrainian Ombudsman, Mr. Dmytro Lubinets, is now very actively involved in the work of our joint team – Budanov, Yermak, Malyuk – regarding the release of our prisoners of war, the release of our civilians held captive in Russia or in temporarily occupied territories. We have already managed to return 1,331 Ukrainian warriors. And I am very proud of this result of our country. Protecting people wherever they are – we have to bring everyone back. This is our duty.

    And at a time when, to put it mildly, we do not see determination and concrete actions in the relevant processes from such organizations as the International Committee of the Red Cross, we have to search and find new people in new realities, new formats of interaction, new lines of cooperation. Perhaps this system – the system of ombudsmen and the international component of cooperation in this system will be able to bring us closer to the result we strive for – the return home of all Ukrainians: adults, children, prisoners of war, political prisoners – all those forcibly detained in the territory of the Russian Federation and temporarily occupied territories of our country. It’s worth at least a try. I think so. We have to try to make efforts every day, because all these are steps forward to victory.

    Until recently, many did not believe that the ratification of one of the fundamental documents for the protection of human rights and equality of all communities, the Istanbul Convention, was possible in Ukraine. Now it is a reality in Ukraine – the convention has been ratified.

    Until recently, many people said that Ukraine would allegedly not be able to obtain the status of a candidate for joining the European Union. Now it is a reality. We have become closer to European institutions. I am also proud of it. I am proud of all the people who worked for such results.

    Until recently, talks dominated Europe that the European Union would allegedly not be able to really unite to protect our common interests, common values, our people… Until recently, skepticism about UN structures was spreading in the world. Today, we see that the European Union is capable of being truly strong and united. And the power of the UN can be directed to solve real problems – we are talking about global problems, such as the food crisis. This is what happens when we take up the cause together, when our state, Ukraine, takes up the cause.

    We must always keep faith in ourselves and our partners. We must be absolutely determined, principled, we must be open to cooperation with everyone who also values determination and principles. This is how we will get all the results we so desperately need for Ukraine, for Europe, and for humanity.

    A Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression by the Russian Federation against the state of Ukraine must be established. And I call on all of you to do everything so that the maximum majority in the UN General Assembly supports the corresponding draft resolution in order to establish this desired and necessary justice.

    A compensation mechanism must also be launched to provide compensation for all losses at the expense of the assets of the aggressor, at the expense of the Russian Federation, for all those who suffered from this war of Russia against Ukraine. The relevant resolution is endorsed by the UN General Assembly, and I ask everyone to contribute to its maximum implementation.

    All Russian murderers, all those who organized and implemented this genocidal policy and terror must be brought to justice. For this purpose, I urge you to cooperate with the Office of the Prosecutor General, Ukrainian law enforcement agencies, with our partners who are investigating the crimes of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, and with the International Criminal Court.

    I am sure that together we will implement absolutely all of this – we will ensure justice for Ukraine, for each and every one.

    I thank everyone who works for the sake of Ukrainians! For the sake of life.

    Glory to all our heroic strong warriors!

    Eternal memory to everyone whose life was taken by Russian terror!

    Glory to Ukraine!

    Thank you.

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Speech at the Time Person of the Year Awards 2022

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Speech at the Time Person of the Year Awards 2022

    The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 9 December 2022. Zelenskyy was awarded with the Time Person of the Year Award.

    Ladies and Gentlemen! 

    It is an honor for me – to represent the struggle of Ukrainians and the Spirit of Ukraine.

    The spirit of freedom, that echoes in the souls of so many people around the world…

    Stories of heroes, who are fighting for independence, are also – your stories.

    Ordinary men and women who became brave-hearts, when they joined the Defence Forces to defend freedom, – different generations of different nations knew this spirit.

    Doctors, who save the wounded under bombs, during blackouts or in occupation – no matter what it takes. It is about humanness, that we all value so dearly.

    Farmers, who work the land under the roaring guns. It is about natural desire to live and take care of one’s families and communities.

    Journalists, who spread the truth – it is in the history of how to resist tyrants. The history, which began even before the word “journalism” appeared.

    This is what inspires across all continents – freedom fighters, who may possess nothing, but courage to defeat those with armored vehicles and repression experience. When freedom wins and tyranny collapses, people are smiling the same way all over the globe.

    Lawyers, who do not yet see the upcoming victory in war, but are already working to ensure that war criminals are brought to justice, – this is the Nuremberg Trials story with many other just verdicts, that were delivered to those, who believed in their impunity.

    This is the spirit! You have already seen the spirit of Ukraine on the covers of Time Magazine – not on each one, but on many. They were not Ukrainians – on the covers before, but they were – courage, striving for freedom, solidarity, creativity and dedication, – values well known to the mankind from a long time ago and which united the world this year with the colors of the Ukrainian national flag and our people’s achievements.

    This is the free world spirit. And let’s do everything for our spirit to win!

    I thank you for your attention!

    Thank you for supporting Ukraine!

    Слава Україні!

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Speech at the Awards of the Influential People in Europe Politico 28

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Speech at the Awards of the Influential People in Europe Politico 28

    The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 8 December 2022.

    Ladies and Gentlemen!

    I thank you for this award to the Ukrainian people. And I mean it – it is destined to all Ukrainians. Because leaders can be truly influential only when they represent not only themselves, but the common will, common dream, common goal of their people.

    This is how we live in Ukraine.

    We are as united as possible – and that is why we are that strong. We are focused on protecting our independence – and that is why we are achieving our goals. We have faced the threat of losing everything – and that is why we have found the strength to become number one.

    The Ukrainian military, who protect us all on the battlefields, are number one. Maryinka, Avdiivka, Bakhmut, Soledar, Kreminna – please remember these names… that is where freedom is now being fought for. For all of us in Europe. In hard battles and at the cost of many lives.

    Ukrainian businessmen who, despite the total war, supply everything necessary for the life of the country, protect jobs and pay taxes, are number one. And I thank all our friends in Europe who help us maintain stability.

    Ukrainian doctors, energy workers, sappers, volunteers, drivers and builders, defense workers, teachers, policemen, diplomats… Hundreds of thousands of those who help millions live through this terrible time – they are number one.

    And it is an honor for me to represent all these people. All Ukrainians. And guide our common will for our common dream. For the sake of a common goal… For the sake of Ukraine’s victory in this war. For the sake of rebuilding Ukraine. For the full accession of Ukraine to the community of European nations – to our European Union.

    I believe that Ukrainians will be the most influential next year as well. But – already in peacetime.

    Thanks to everyone who supports us! 

    Thank you, Politico, for being always unbiased! 

    Слава Україні!

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Speech at the Madeleine K. Albright Democracy Awards Ceremony

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Speech at the Madeleine K. Albright Democracy Awards Ceremony

    The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 7 December 2022.

    Dear friends!

    As I record this address, our 286th day of defense in full-scale war is ending.

    And this is not just an ordinary day – it is a holiday of our Armed Forces. A day celebrated by millions of Ukrainians – on their land, in their state, under their flag.

    Just feel it – the 286th day of a full-scale war against an aggressor that many in the world thought was invincible… And we celebrate the Day of OUR Armed Forces, not a sort of some kind a day of the occupiers.

    On February 23 of this year, a day before the escalation of the Russian war, madame Madeleine Albright published an opinion editorial that the Russian leader was making a historic mistake. These were prophetic words.

    He really made a mistake – the biggest in his life and the lives of modern generations of Russians.

    But, friends, we all know that the “haunted idea” of any dictatorship is to ignore mistakes and pretend that there were no mistakes, especially when it comes to the first-person error of the dictatorship.

    This is exactly how Russia is behaving now.

    Obviously, the dictator lost. But he is doing everything to ensure that Russia continues to fight if only to avoid admitting to himself and others that a historical mistake has been made. If Russia feels backed into a corner, it has only itself to blame.

    Ukraine and the free world should definitely not change their goals and exchange their values for some compromises, if the dictatorship is afraid to admit a mistake and tempts with a break in the battles. We must fully protect freedom and guarantee the security of our democracy.

    Whoever started an unprovoked and criminal war must lose and bear responsibility. Ukraine and the world must receive guarantees of peace, stability and security.

    Celebrating today the Day of our Armed Forces we feel we can provide this. And therefore, we must! Apart from the Ukrainian victory, any other option will be a mistake, and this must be honestly admitted.

    That is why we need to continue to have the same strong American leadership that we have seen during these 286 days and always. I believe that it will be so.

    Thank you for your attention! Thank you for this honorable title! And thank you to every American for always helping those who fight for freedom!

    God Bless America!

    God Bless Ukraine!

    Слава Україні!

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Speech on International Volunteer Day

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Speech on International Volunteer Day

    The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 5 December 2022.

    Fellow Ukrainians!

    Today is International Volunteer Day. International, yet so Ukrainian.

    This is the day of millions of our people. Not hundreds, not thousands, but millions. This is the day of everyone who helps defend the state. Everyone who helps protect the people. All those who give their soul, time, and money for Ukraine and Ukrainians to succeed. To win.

    The volunteer movement in our country rose in waves from Maidan, from 2014 and from February 24. The waves that were getting higher and stronger.

    Today, volunteers are the most powerful part of Ukrainian civil society. This is a movement that unites all cities and communities of our country and all social groups.

    And this is an idea that attracts millions of people from different countries of the world to the Ukrainian struggle for freedom.

    Today is the day of very famous organizations, whose names every Ukrainian has heard, and the day of people whose names do not yet sound throughout the country, but who, together with everyone, will feel that this is their result on the day of our victory.

    This is the day of Veteran Hub and Army SOS, “Zgraya” and “Aerorozvidka”, KSE Foundation and those who founded and help “Nebesna Gvardiya” project.

    The day of “Hospitallers” and all paramedics and doctors who help at the front. This is the day of “Kryla Peremogy” and NGO “Zemliachky”, “Povernys Zhyvym” and “Motohelp” foundations, Serhiy Prytula Foundation and the Volunteer Hundred of Dobrovolia, “Kolo” and “Solomyanski Kotyky” foundations, the Marlog Center and the Ukrainian Volunteer Service, Razom for Ukraine, “Narodny Tyl” association, Help Army volunteer group and the Ukrainian Red Cross Society. This is the day of United24 and each of the more than a hundred countries who help us buy ambulances or naval drones. This is the day of star ambassadors who have also become volunteers and direct the power of the world for Ukraine.

    Today is the day of Kharkiv “Pidtrymka Zakhysnykiv” Foundation and Lviv NGO “Nezalezhni”, the day of the Union of Ukrainian Women from the Ivano-Frankivsk region and the Kramatorsk Center “Razom do Peremohy”, “Angely Spasinnia” Foundation from the Donetsk region and  NGO “Miskyi Tsentr Dopomohy” from Zaporizhzhia.

    This is the day of SpivDiia and PLAST, NGO “Ridne Polissia”, the Active Rehabilitation Group, the Ukrainian Women’s Battalion, “Kotyky-Patriotyky” and “Dobra Sprava”, Let’s help, “Kharkiv z Toboyu” foundations, HopeUA, “Tvoya Opora”, “My z Ukrainoyu” and “Rayon Nomer 1”.

    And also the day of Yevhen Subota, coordinator of volunteer centers in Hostomel. Ulyana Hredil from NGO “Apostolska Chota”. NGO “Zakhyst – Obyednannia Volonteriv”. Yulia Konovalova, head of NGO “Liudy Usiudy” and volunteer of the World Central Kitchen project. Volodymyr Firman, rector of Zarvanytsia Marian Spiritual Centre.

    This is the day of the Ukrainian Catholic University and dozens of universities and student communities in our country and abroad, which have joined the defense of our state, freedom and people. And humanity.

    That’s why today we thank organizations like Zoopatrol and UAnimals, and everyone who knows that saving animals is also saving souls.

    You probably know most of these names, you may have already helped some of these organizations and projects. But the volunteer movement is much larger and broader. These are thousands of structures, tens of thousands of people who care and millions of those who join.

    This is the day of those who were looking for bulletproof vests on Maidan and continued to look for and deliver everything that might be necessary for the frontline.

    This is the day of those who make camouflage nets: Lviv, Rivne and thousands of other Ukrainian cities and villages, tens of thousands of people.

    This is the day of ordinary Ukrainians who help us all solve very difficult tasks. They help restore the energy sector after strikes. Return normal life to the de-occupied territory.

    This is the day of those who provide rehabilitation and prosthetics. Who provide psychological help. Who support displaced persons. Who help those released from captivity. Who bake bread for the military and deliver food to the most dangerous places.

    This is the day of the drivers who helped with the evacuation and the delivery of the humanitarian aid. This is the day of many different people who all together strengthen Ukraine.

    This is the day of thousands of Ukrainian businesses that made their projects to help the army and ordinary people or joined existing volunteer programs. And the day of businessmen who do everything to strengthen Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, not Monaco and Vienna.

    Although the volunteer movement has become part of the foundation of Ukraine, we did not have a special award that could become a symbol of our gratitude to volunteers and those who give strength to this movement. Who give a part of their own life to help save the lives of others. Now there is such an award.

    This is the heart. The heart of gold for the ordinary people who protect us all.

    This year, we establish such an award. For those who really deserve it. Those whose hearts are of gold, and that is why they are volunteers.

    Today I named 50 volunteer groups whose representatives will receive an award this year.

    And every year we will celebrate volunteer projects, other organizations, and new personalities. People should know who provides this aid for Ukraine. People should know whose heart gives us such a result, for which Ukrainians are grateful.

    Glory to everyone who helps our defense!

    Glory to everyone who helps our volunteers!

    Gratitude to everyone who is involved in the work of the volunteers!

    And congratulations on Volunteer Day!

    Glory to Ukraine!

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Speech at Day of Employees of Prosecution Bodies of Ukraine

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Speech at Day of Employees of Prosecution Bodies of Ukraine

    The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 1 December 2022.

    Dear employees of the prosecution bodies of Ukraine!

    Every year you hear approximately the same words on your professional day. Those are: order and judiciary, rule of law and legality, protection of human rights and freedoms, protection of the interests of the state and society. All these and other similar words, when they are combined, in total, give one thing – justice.

    And justice is not only a vitally needed feeling, not only such a state of affairs in the country, without which life is not defined as full by the people. Justice is also a weapon.

    It is an effective weapon of deterrence.

    When society has such a weapon, people are protected from many manifestations of crime. Because justice deprives crime of its energy, preventing its possible outbreaks and guaranteeing the inevitability of punishment.

    When justice is not just for one nation but is present in international relations in general, the world is reliably protected – protected from aggression. Because justice at the international level means that anyone who becomes an aggressor and starts a criminal war will not only be punished for it but also compensate for all the damages caused by their aggression.

    Ladies and Gentlemen!

    It is you who, together with other law enforcement officers, create this weapon for Ukraine and form a reliable basis for its use. And this year it became obvious that this task is not only about Ukraine. This task is global. Because justice for Ukraine is equal to justice for the world.

    To ensure that such a war, which Russia started against us, would never happen again, all Russian murderers and executioners, all their accomplices, all Russian marauders and war propagandists, as well as all authors of Russian genocidal policy, must be brought to justice. Those who planned and launched the aggression. Those who approve and organize the terror against our cities and the deportation of our people.

    Almost 50 thousand crimes against peace, human security and international legal order committed as a result of Russian aggression have already been documented. Our law enforcement agencies are assisted by leading experts from various partner countries in the painstaking work of collecting evidence and establishing the circumstances of the atrocities committed by the Russian occupiers. Substantive cooperation with the International Criminal Court has been established, and the opening of the ICC field office in Ukraine is being prepared. I thank everyone who works for such investigations!

    And we will have one hundred percent justice when we are sure that the top Russian political and military leadership will be brought to justice. That is why the Office of the President of Ukraine, the Prosecutor General and all other relevant institutions of Ukraine pay so much attention to the establishment of the Tribunal on the Russian crime of aggression against Ukraine. The Tribunal, which will complement our national legal capabilities and the existing potential of the International Criminal Court. The Tribunal, which will make it possible to bring to justice the authors of the aggression.

    And I believe that the work of Ukrainian prosecutors, inter alia, will be put at the heart of an indictment in the Special Tribunal on the aggression. So, please do your best and always remember that justice must be the result of all our efforts. Right now, right here in Ukraine, we are gaining justice for the whole of Europe and many nations of the world.

    I congratulate you on your professional holiday!

    Glory to Ukraine!