Mr. Chairperson,  

Since our meeting last Thursday, russia conducted four new waves of missiles and drone attacks on Ukraine.

On May 19, the russian troops attacked Ukraine with Iranian-made Shahed drones and cruise missiles "Kalibr".

16 drones and 3 missiles were shot down.

On May 20, 18 Shahed drones were launched from the north in the direction of the Kyiv region. All drones were destroyed.

And on May 22, the russian invaders repeated the attacks.

They fired 16 missiles of different types, including four Kh-101/Kh-555, five KH-22, two Iskander-M ballistic missiles, five S-300 anti-aircraft missiles, and 20 Shahed drones.

This combination of missiles was fired from the Caspian Sea region, the Sea of Azov, the Kursk region, as well as from occupied territories of Crimea and the Zaporizhzhia region.

And a few hours ago, Ukraine was again under attack of 36 Iranian drones. All of them shot down.

Nothing has changed. All attacks were carried out in the night time. With the only purpose – to terrorize the civilians.

Due to constant russia’s shellings, on May 22, the ZNPP lost all external electricity.

This was the seventh time since the beginning of the occupation of the plant.

Every day of russia’s occupation generates new risks in terms of nuclear safety and security. For Ukraine, Europe, and the entire world.

This situation cannot continue. This nuclear terror must stop.

Russia must leave the nuclear power plant immediately and unconditionally. We have to redouble our efforts in this regard.  

Dear colleagues, 

The sowing season is underway in Ukraine.

However, a key challenge for Ukrainian farmers remains not weather or climate changes but a mine danger. A russian-made danger.

As of now, about 30% of Ukraine's territory, is potentially contaminated. These territories are capable to produce food for 81 mln people.

According to the Prime Minister of Ukraine, so far, 110 000 hectares were inspected and more than 600 000 explosive objects were detected.

Therefore, demining has been identified as one of our key recovery priorities.

Ukraine is highly interested in attracting funds, equipment and technologies to speed up the process.

Given the scale of the problem, every state, regardless of being neutral or not, can help to bring life back to communities, especially in the frontline areas.

Furthermore, clearing the fields would also contribute to global food security.

This is important amidst russia’s weaponization of food and the impact it has on vulnerable countries across the globe.

Although the Grain Initiative was resumed, but russia continues to block ships from entering the Pivdennyi port, the largest port within the Initiative, almost for a month since April 29. 

There are more than 1.5 million tons of agricultural products for 10 countries, including from Africa and Asia.

This is yet another piece of evidence that russia has no plans to fulfill the agreements it has signed up and continues to weaponize food.

Apart from missile terror, nuclear intimidation, mine contamination, and food blackmailing, russia continues to create enormous risks for the environment. 

As it has turned out, the russian occupying forces connected the island of Dzharylgach with the occupied mainland part of the Kherson region.

They just filled the crossing with sand. This would have an adverse impact on the ecosystem of the Black Sea and on the species living there.

It has been done with the aim to intensify the use of the national park for military purposes.

They simply set up a military training ground on the island. This is the continuation of russia’s ecocide.  

Dear colleagues, 

It was traditional wisdom that the russian president was trapped in the XIX century. However, it appears that the problem is much deeper.

Demonstration of a 17th-century map at the meeting with a head of the Constitutional Court, who, by the way, is one of the architects of putin’s regime, tells a lot about continued attempts to deny Ukraine’s right to exist.

Of course, they can close eyes like a child and pretend that there is no inscription “Ukraina”, but maybe the kremlin would finally start to refer to its state as Moscovitica, which is actually its real name according to these old maps?   

However, these manipulative references to history in attempts to justify the killing of Ukrainians are very much worrying.

These historical aberrations are one of the symptoms of totalitarian ideology.

And we are well aware where these pseudo-historical exercises lead to.

As the recent statement of the Ukrainian Parliament on the definition of the ideology of ruscism states, it is time to “recognize the current political regime of the russian federation as criminal, the russian federation as terrorist state, and the actions committed by leadership […] as the genocide of the Ukrainian people.”

These genocidal intentions last for centuries.

Just last Sunday Ukraine commemorated the Day of Remembrance of Victims of Political Repression which were conducted by the Soviet regime in 1937-1938.

That terror left hundreds mass graves across Ukraine. Thousands killed. Many more sent to soviet concentration camps doomed to die because of forced labour. Millions intimidated. 

Many participating States witnessed the same cruelty during Soviet russia’s rule.

Historians like to repeat that history does not repeat itself. However, the violence does.

Bucha, Izum, Mariupol, Yahidne and other sites of russia’s new crimes testify to that.

The deportation of children and assimilation policies in the occupied territories bring us back to the dark times of the past.

Yesterday’s mock sentence against Crimea Tatar activist Ernes Seitosmanov to 18 years in prison is a grim reminder of repressions carried out by russia in the occupied Crimea already for nine years. 

Thousands of civilian hostages taken by russia in newly occupied territories, as we heard last Friday from the survivors, tell us that russia replicates Crimean crimes.  

A map of places of the illegal detention presented at the event should not become just another research but must be a basis for further actions by the OSCE, including the ODIHR and CPC.

Let’s be clear, people cannot be a bargaining chip for russia and all Ukrainian territories of Ukraine must be liberated, including Crimea. This is the only way to ensure that human rights are respected therein.

Like illegal detention of the three members of the SMM and stolen OSCE assets by russia should not go unpunished.   

Because all this speaks volumes about systematic character of russia’s crimes.

Against Ukraine. Against the OSCE. Against the rules-based order. Or just against international law. 

That’s why we have to take all necessary steps not to allow the revanche of the new totalitarian ideology and regime.

As President Zelenskyy noted recently, “before the 24th of February, Ukraine held more than one hundred eighty rounds of negotiations with russia – 183 – in various formats to stop the aggression”.

So, russia’s intentions were never about peace. We have to learn this lesson. Our people suffered enough.

Our region cannot be a hostage of russia’s phantom imperialistic pain any longer.

That’s why we need real peace not the appeasement of aggressor.

This real peace must be based on full withdrawal of the russian troops and restoration of Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders.

And Ukraine has a clear-cut vision consisting of ten steps.   

Speaking at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, President Zelenskyy proposed holding a Global Peace Summit in July to promote Ukraine’s Peace Formula.

At the same time, in the run up to the Summit, we should approximate achieving peace by promoting the establishment of a Special tribunal to prosecute russia’s crime of aggression, by introducing more sanctions, by closing gaps allowing russia to produce new missiles.

And of course, by turning future NATO Vilnius summit into a historical one. 

And we are grateful that our unity and solidarity strengthen, that we continue to build up our coalition every day.

Be it a tank or jet coalition, this is always about people, about the protection of their lives and our future.

In conclusion, I would also like to express our gratitude to the delegation of Japan and the Government of Japan for a kind invitation extended to President Zelenskyy to participate at the G7 Summit and his warm welcome in Hiroshima.

The outcomes of the Summit will provide a strong impetus to our common peace efforts.

President Zelenskyy praised Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's personal leadership in mobilizing international support for Ukraine, particularly in the framework of Japan's G7 Presidency.

President Zelenskyy’s presence in Hirosima on the 452^nd day of the russian full-scale invasion and nine years after russia was expelled from this respected forum cannot be more symbolic.

This was the manifestation of the strength of the Free World.

And this also testifies that, despite russia’s calculations, Ukrainians’ aspirations to fight for their freedom are even stronger and the commitment of the Free World to support Ukraine is even more iron-clad.

 I thank you, Mr Chairperson.