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REMARKS
by Ambassador of Ukraine to Romania H.E. Ihor PROKOPCHUK
at the conference “Aspen Dialogue on the NATO Youth Summit”
(Bucharest, 25 April 2025, 11:00)
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is my pleasure to take part in this event and to deliver remarks on such an important topic for my country, for Romania, for Europe and globally as “Securing Peace. Rebuilding Ukraine”.
I am grateful to the organisers – Aspen Institute Romania – for the invitation and for the strong advocacy in promoting the vision of just and sustainable peace, democracy and shared values.
Today I would like to focus on a few principal points.
First, about putting an end to this brutal war that Russia continues to wage against Ukraine. My main message: no one is interested in peace more than Ukraine is. Our interest is to have genuine peace, which means – comprehensive, just and lasting. Russia started this war of aggression and remains THE OBSTACLE to ending it.
The past months have registered intensified efforts on the diplomatic track to secure peace.
On 11 March 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine accepted the U.S. proposal for an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, with a possibility of extention, subject to acceptance and compliance by russia.
Today marks the 45th day since Ukraine agreed to a complete ceasefire. Russia, for its part, dismissed the proposal. Moreover, in the past weeks it stepped up missile attacks and aerial bombardment of civilian population of Ukraine.
Yesterday, on 25 April 2025 the aggressor state launched a complex and multiple missiles and drone attack on Ukraine’s capital and other regions of the country. 12 civilians, including three youth, have been killed in Kyiv and at least 87 wounded. Today has been announced the day of mourning in Kyiv. Before coming to this event, I signed off a diplomatic note opening a book of condolences at the Embassy.
We opened such books of condolences few times only during this month – April.
On 6 April 2025 russia’s ballistic missile struck a residential area with a children’s playground in Kryvyi Rig – killing 20 people, among them 9 children, and wounding over 75 people, including children.
On 13 April 2025, russia attacked the city of Sumy with “Iskander” missiles, killing 35 people, among them 2 children, and wounding 127 people, including children.
So, while there are ongoing discussions about ceasefire and peace, kremlin’s heinous attacks on Ukraine have not ceased but rather increased in intensity.
These tragedies have proven once again that Ukraine needs more support and more defence capabilities. The immediate priorities include the most needed – air defence systems, long-range capability and respective ammunition.
We are grateful to Romania – and to other NATO member states – for standing firmly with Ukraine. Our views are fully aligned about what the genuine peace should look like.
Second. It is essential to be fully cognizant of russia’s neoimperial ambitions, of its drive for territorial acquisitions and domination. Europe is at a juncture that will define the course of this century. First and foremost – in terms of security. As NATO documents define Russia – it is “the most significant and direct threat to Allies’ security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area”. This threat needs to be effectively dealt with, and Ukraine is part of the solution.
Russia’s invasion into Ukraine has also led to profound repercussions in a range of areas, in particular sending shockwaves in energy markets and jeopardizing global food security far away from the battlefields. It produced horrific man-made disasters, namely, demolition of Kahovka dam and shelling of the protection arc over Chornobyl NPP.
We encounter a glaring breach of cornerstone international documents. In particular, russia flagrantly violates the Chemical Weapons Convention, by using hazardous chemical substances against the Defense Forces of Ukraine. In March 2025 alone, 767 cases of use of such munitions were recorded.
We are confident that through collective pressure kremlin can be compelled to serious negotiations. Elements of this pressure must include shared position of Ukraine, the US and Europe, strengthening of defence and economic capabilities of Ukraine, further sanctions on russia.
It is clear to us: if the aggressor is not stopped and pushed back in Ukraine, it will aim to advance further. There will be immediate direct military risks to the Republic of Moldova and to countries of NATO eastern flank, among them Romania.
Ukraine is engaging in good faith in the efforts for peace. The red lines that Ukraine has drawn defend Ukraine’s constitution and international law: no limitation on expression of Ukraine’s sovereignty; no formal recognition of illegally occupied territories as Russian; no weakening of Ukraine’s defence forces. The issue of security guarantees for Ukraine, that is securing non-repetition of Russian aggression, bears a fundamental significance for my country. The most optimal way is Ukraine’s membership in NATO. This remains Ukraine’s strategic goal.
Third, without awaiting the end of the war, Ukraine continues to rebuild and recover the country, in very close cooperation with international partners.
Compared to 2023, in 2024 the volume of construction in the housing sector grew by 16,3%, in non -housing sector it grew by 35,5%, in the engineering sector – by 20%. Overall, the volume of last year’s construction works exceeded that of 2020.
Now the Government of Ukraine together with Italian and other counterparts are preparing for this year’s Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025 that will take place in Rome on 10-11 July 2025.
Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction priorities for 2025 encompass 9 sectors: housing; energy and extraction; transport; social protection and services; education and science; healthcare; water supply and wastewater; managements of explosives; emergency response and protection.
Dear friends,
Norms of international law constitute that “No excuse of whatever nature, whether political, economic or otherwise, can serve as justification for aggression”. Russia is the aggressor state and it must be held accountable. It must be subjected to constant and growing pressure to end this war.
We do note the importance of Ukraine's future membership in NATO as an essential component of strengthening the overall defense and deterrence capabilities of Europe and a wider Euro-Atlantic area.
Thank you for your attention.