“We must abide by the UN Charter and guarantee our right – Ukraine’s right – to territorial integrity and sovereignty just as we do for any other nation.”, — write: www.president.gov.ua
Dear leaders!
Your Excellencies!
Today I want to tell you about a day that has already passed and a day that will never come.
On the night of March 4, 2022, I received one of the most terrifying messages since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The message stated that Russian tanks are directly firing at the buildings of our Ukrainian nuclear power plant. Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The largest in Europe. Six nuclear reactors. The Russian army attacked this object as brutally as any other during this war. Without thinking about the consequences, which could be catastrophic. It was one of the most terrible moments of the war, when no one knew how the Russian strikes on the nuclear facility would end, and everyone in Ukraine remembered what Chernobyl was.
At the moment, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remains occupied by Russian troops. Unfortunately. And there is a threat of a nuclear accident. This is the biggest source of radiation danger in Europe, and possibly in the world.
That is why in the Peace Formula that I presented, the first point is the question of nuclear safety.
In Ukraine, we know exactly what we are dealing with. And I want to thank you, members of the General Assembly, for the adoption in July of this year of the resolution on the safety of nuclear facilities in Ukraine. Most of the world understands what is at stake. The General Assembly demanded that Russia return control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to Ukraine. Only then will Europe and the world return to real nuclear security.
And now about the day that should never come.
Having failed to overcome the resistance of our people on the battlefield, Putin is looking for other ways to break the Ukrainian spirit. One of his methods is to attack our energy infrastructure. These are targeted Russian attacks on our power plants and the entire energy network. To date, Russia has destroyed all of our thermal power plants and a significant part of our hydropower capacity. This is how Putin is preparing for winter – hoping to torture millions and millions of Ukrainians. Ordinary families – women, children. Ordinary cities, ordinary villages. Putin wants to leave them in the dark and cold this winter to make Ukraine suffer and capitulate. Just imagine, please, your country without 80% of energy – with such a destroyed part of the energy system. What would your life be like?
Recently I received another alarming message from our intelligence.
It appears that Putin is indeed planning attacks on our nuclear power plants and their infrastructure to disconnect the plants from the grid. With the help of satellites, by the way, ladies and gentlemen, satellites of other countries, Russia receives images and detailed information about the infrastructure of our nuclear power plants.
But what does it actually threaten?
Any missile or drone strike, any critical breakdown in the power system can lead to a nuclear disaster.
And Moscow must understand this. And it depends, in particular, on your determination to put pressure on the aggressor. After all, these are nuclear power plants! They should be safe.
Ladies and gentlemen!
Two years ago, in the fall of 2022, I proposed a comprehensive strategy to end the war and ensure security. And I presented the Peace Formula at an extremely inclusive political platform for world leaders – the G20 summit in Indonesia, which represented billions of citizens from all corners of the world.
And it is important for us that all these people understand us – understand that Ukraine wants to end this war more than anyone else in the world.
War is always a threat to many. You all see in the media and read in reports what is happening in Ukraine because of the Russian war, and many imagine that it is happening to them. And yes, smoke from fires in war-torn cities can reach other countries. And if, God forbid, Russia causes a nuclear disaster at one of our nuclear power plants, the radiation will not respect national borders, and, unfortunately, various nations will feel its devastating effects. This worries many, but the deepest understanding of war is always in those homes that it destroys.
It is the Ukrainian people who feel all the pain of this war. It is Ukrainian children who learn to distinguish the sounds of different types of artillery and drones because of the Russian war. It is our people who are forcibly separated by the occupation, because Putin has decided that he can do whatever he wants. It is our heroic soldiers who give their lives protecting our country from invaders who are trying to steal our land. That is why we say, and not without reason: there can be no just peace without Ukraine.
And I thank every leader, every country that supports us in this, that understands us, that sees how Russia, a country more than 20 times larger than Ukraine in terms of territory, still wants to have more lands, which is madness, and seizes them day after day, while seeking to destroy his neighbor. And for this, Russia found very special friends – North Korea and Iran. A very telling choice of friends. Now every neighbor of Russia in Europe and Central Asia feels that the war may come to them as well. And just think what losses this would mean to the world.
And I thank almost a hundred countries and international organizations that supported the Peace Formula. It is truly a global community: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, the Pacific region – all united by the Peace Formula.
And I am glad that the first Peace Summit was so reminiscent of the UN General Assembly – everyone was equal. All nations participating in the Peace Summit – large and small – have no right of veto, no right of blocking. Those that have been independent for centuries and those that have only recently gained independence. Those who themselves have gone through wars, and those who are used to peace. All of them. Everyone was equal is what Russia hates the most and can’t control, so Russia says the Peace Formula doesn’t work for it.
Here at the UN, I have already met with the leaders of India and Guatemala, Japan and Italy, Turkey and Finland, Canada and Paraguay, Slovenia, Germany, etc. And my meetings will continue. These are different parts of the world – absolutely – and different political systems, but they are united by a common understanding: peace is needed, and it must be a real, just peace.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to truly and fairly solve the issues of war and peace in the UN, because too much depends on the right of veto in the Security Council. When the aggressor uses the veto, the UN is powerless to stop the war. But the Peace Formula can do that – again, it doesn’t have a veto. That is why it is the best opportunity to achieve peace – everyone is equal, and it is effective and comprehensive.
When someone suggests alternative, half-hearted settlement plans – the so-called Principles – not only ignore the interests and suffering of the Ukrainians most affected by the war, it not only ignores reality, but also gives Putin political space to continue the war and pressure the world to take control even more countries. Any parallel or alternative efforts to achieve peace are essentially attempts only to achieve a lull, not an end to war, as the global initiative – the Peace Formula – has been in existence for two years. And maybe someone wants a Nobel Prize for their political biography for a frozen truce instead of real peace, but the only rewards Putin will give you in return are more suffering and disaster.
We must restore nuclear safety.
Energy should not be used as a weapon.
We have to guarantee food security.
We need to bring home all our captured soldiers and civilians forcibly deported to Russia.
We must abide by the UN Charter and guarantee our right – Ukraine’s right – to territorial integrity and sovereignty just as we do for any other nation.
We need to achieve the withdrawal of the Russian occupiers, which will put an end to hostilities in Ukraine.
We must bring those guilty of war crimes to justice.
We need to prevent ecocide and stop the destruction of nature caused by war.
And we must prevent the second or third phase of this Russian invasion.
And we need to state clearly: the war is over.
This is the Peace Formula.
Which of these might not be acceptable to those who adhere to the UN Charter?
If anyone in the world looks for alternatives to any of these points, or tries to ignore any of them, it most likely means that they themselves want to do part of what Putin is doing: the point they ignore reveals the desire they hide.
And when the Chinese-Brazilian duo tries to grow into a chorus of voices – with someone in Europe, with someone in Africa – saying something alternative to full and just peace, the question arises: what is the real interest?
Everyone should understand: you will not strengthen your power at the expense of Ukraine.
And the world has already gone through colonial wars and conspiracies of great powers at the cost of those who are smaller. Every country, including China, Brazil, European countries, African countries, the Middle East, all understand why this should be a thing of the past. And Ukrainians will never accept – will never accept that someone in the world believes that such a cruel colonial past, which does not suit anyone today, can now be imposed on Ukraine instead of a normal, peaceful life.
I want peace for my people – real peace and just peace.
And I ask for your support – all the nations of the world. We do not share the world.
I ask you the same thing: do not divide the world. Be a united nation and that will bring us peace.
Thank you
Glory to Ukraine!
