The Ukrainian authorities are suggesting the states-partners recognize that russia should bear material responsibility for the crimes it committed. This is important in the context of this war waged by russia and any other aggressive actions conducted either by russia or any other potential aggressor. Evil must receive an answer and know that it will be punished.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said this in his video address.
He said that today russia destroyed a community center in Lozova in the Kharkiv region with a missile strike.
"Of course, russia has already done everything possible to ensure that there is no place left for culture on its territory. But what does our Kharkiv region have to do with it? Back in russia, if they like, they can explode everything left from community centers," - said Zelenskyy.
He added that today the russian occupiers hit the Odesa, Poltava, and Zhytomyr regions and continued attempts to conduct an offensive in the Donbas. In the same way, as they burned Mariupol, the russians burned to ashes Rubizhne and Volnovakha. They are trying to do the same with Sievierodonetsk and many other cities.
They do everything to destroy any possibility of normal life in the Kherson region and those areas of the Zaporizhzhia region they managed to reach.
Zelenskyy noted that all these things and many more others that the russian army has done since 24 February 2022 and since 2014 need a proper response.
The first is liberation. We must fight until we clean our land from the russian occupiers and guarantee Ukraine's security.
Secondly, it is the prosecution of all russian war criminals in Ukrainian courts, in the international tribunal, and on the battlefield while the war continues.
Thirdly, we are working to ensure that russia compensates in one way or another for everything it has destroyed in Ukraine. Every burned house. Every ruined school, ruined hospital. Each community center, the russians blew up. Every single object of infrastructure. Every enterprise they destroyed. Every business they stopped, every hryvnia people, enterprises, communities, and the state lost because of russians.
The President noted that Ukraine suggests its states-partners sign a multilateral agreement and create a mechanism through which each and everyone who has suffered from russia's actions will be able to receive compensation for all losses.
"Under such an agreement, russian funds and property under the jurisdiction of states-partners must be seized or frozen, then confiscated and sent to a specially created fund from which all victims of russian aggression can receive appropriate compensation," - specified Zelenskyy.
He emphasized that this would be fair, and russia would feel the true weight of every missile, every bomb, every projectile it fired at us.
Ukraine suggests that the partners become founders of such a fund and members of a special international commission that will consider lawsuits, i.e., appeals from individuals and legal entities.
The President said the world has seen that the existing international organizations and instruments cannot cope with all the challenges. Therefore, it is necessary to use current opportunities and offer new ones. It will be effective.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the Ukrainians who continue to fight the occupation, especially those who stay on temporarily occupied by russia territories. In particular, to the rescuers in Enerhodar, who protested today.
Today, the President awarded 202 militaries of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During the full-scale war, more than 14,000 of our defenders received awards for bravery and efficiency in defending the country and helping our people.
Today President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the Speaker of the Upper House of the Irish Parliament, Mark Daly, and the Speaker of the Lower House of the Irish Parliament, Sean O'Farrell. They discussed the prospects of the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. Zelenskyy informed them about the planned work that is already underway and suggested Ireland join the implementation of future projects to rebuild our country.