Remarks by H.E. Ihor Prokopchuk, Ambassador of Ukraine to Romania, on the occasion of Independence Day of Ukraine

Bucharest, 24 August 2022

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear colleagues and friends!

It is my great honor to address you on the occasion of the National Day of Ukraine – the Independence Day. Warmest greetings to all!

Today marks 31 years since the day when Ukraine liberated itself from totalitarianism and the communist regime, when the freedom-loving Ukrainian nation with its thousand-year history once again achieved freedom and reestablished its own statehood.

This year’s Independence Day the Ukrainians mark in tragic circumstances which we thought would never happen, as throughout the years we have proved by deeds our desire to live in peace, pursuing a peaceful foreign policy, undertaking nuclear disarmament, taking part in international peacekeeping operations, contributing to the European and global security and confidence building, progressing along the path of integration into the European Union and NATO.

Today we began our ceremony with a minute of silence remembering Ukraine’s defenders who sacrificed the most valuable – their lives – for the sake of the future of freedom for their own country and Europe. Today is six months since the russian federation unleashed a large-scale unprovoked war against our state, treacherously attacking from the north, east and south.

This attack constitutes the continuation of military aggression by the kremlin, which began in 2014 with a glaring violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, the temporary occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, as well as certain areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

Over eight years the russian authorities have been hiding behind “little green men”, behind false fictitious narratives about the Ukrainian Donbass, but on 24 February  of this year, the kremlin, supported by the belarusian regime, decided to openly, with a brutal military force, put an end to the Ukrainian statehood. The russian aggressor brought war, tears and suffering to the Ukrainian land...

History has never been lenient with the Ukrainians, our ancestors often had to defend their right to life and freedom with weapons in their hands - such a fate fell also on the current generation.

The war crimes committed by the russian aggressor, the mass executions and bombardments of the civilian Ukrainian population perpetrated by the invaders in Bucha, Borodyanka, Mariupol, Vinnytsia, Kramatorsk and other cities throughout Ukraine, prove the deliberate and systematic destruction of everything associated with Ukrainian identity. The aggressor uses weapons prohibited by international conventions, intensively shells civilian infrastructure, kills and maims children, rapes women. The kremlin's policy of genocide against the Ukrainian people has already led to thousands of victims, millions of displaced persons, the destruction of the Ukrainian economy. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the occupiers have attacked more than 22,000 civilian infrastructure sites.

In pursuit of its neo-imperial delusions, the russian federation resorts to nuclear terrorism and blackmail by a nuclear catastrophe. To date, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest NPP in Europe, which was captured by russian invaders, remains mined and requires immediate demilitarization.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Dear friends!

The President of Ukraine started his address to the nation today by appealing to “the people of independent Ukraine”. These four words counts so much for every Ukrainian.

The aggressor planned to conquer Ukraine in three to four days and march along Khreshchatyk in Kyiv. Instead today, after six months of the fierce war, an exhibition of burnt russian military equipment was put on display in Khreshchatyk.

There is no doubt that Ukraine will win in this war of aggression unleashed by russia. The truth is on our side, we defend ourselves on our own land! We do not only defend our right to live freely in our country, freely choose our future, but we also defend every principle on which the European security architecture is founded. This is not only about Ukraine, but also about the future of the entire Europe! What will it be like? Such where borders, principles of democracy and human rights are respected as the basis for the general well-being, or such where brutal force dominates and the continent is divided into spheres of influence? Will it be the force of rule or the rule of force?

We know the response of the peoples of Europe and other countries who stands with Ukraine, aspiring to live in peace and respecting common democratic values. That is also why today's rally is held under the slogan of solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, and such rallies are held in hundreds of cities in numerous countries around the world.

Alongside heroism and self-sacrifice of the Ukrainian servicemen and the Ukrainian people, the international solidarity and the anti-kremlin coalition play a key role in ensuring the defeat of the armed aggression of the russian federation.

I very much appreciate that the Ukrainian flag is hoisted today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, and that its building, as well as the buildings of the Parliament and the Government of Romania, are lit in the colors of the Ukrainian flag.

After February 24, about 1.5 million citizens of Ukraine crossed the Ukrainian-Romanian state border, tens of thousands of them found temporary asylum on the territory of Romania.

Ukraine is grateful to Romania for the significant assistance provided from the first days of a full-scale war. In particular, the Romanian government and the Romanian society deliver humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Hubs of international assistance to Ukraine function on the territory of Romania. Romania facilitates Ukrainian exports.

Against the backdrop of active political contacts, we are witnessing the development of a new quality of Ukrainian-Romanian relations.

I would also like to specifically thank the Ambassadors of the states - the leading partners of Ukraine, who are present here, for the great practical support and solidarity with Ukraine, demonstrated by their capitals.

More needs to be done. To defeat the aggressor, it is critically necessary to continue the increase of military assistance to Ukraine (the common good must have sharp teeth to defend itself), to introduce further rigorous sanctions against the russian federation, to ensure that the russian politico-military leadership and individual military personnel are held accountable for numerous crimes committed on Ukraine’s territory.

Based on the nature of these crimes it is essential to recognize russia as a state-sponsor of terrorism.

An important incentive for Ukraine has become the granting to our country the status of a candidate for EU membership. With every day of their struggle the Ukrainians prove their belonging to the united family of European nations. Ukraine is committed to accelerate its progress along the path of European transformations and reforms to achieve the goals of European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

In conclusion of my remarks I wish to express deep gratitude to the defenders of Ukraine - the defenders of a united democratic Europe!

Thank you all for participation!

Glory to Ukraine!