In a video speech, President Volodomyr Zelenskyj urges Russia to meet for peace talks. At the same time, he promises support for internally displaced refugees.
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– I want everyone to hear me now, especially in Moscow, says Volodymyr Zelenskyj.
– It’s time to meet. It’s time to talk. It is time to restore territorial integrity and justice for Ukraine.
The Ukrainian president’s admonition was published in a video speech Saturday night. The video is published on Instagram.
Here he provides updates on the latest decisions of the Ukrainian government, and addresses the world community.
In continuation of the call for peace talks, the president comes with a warning.
– This is Russia’s only chance to reduce the damage from its own mistakes, says Zelenskyj.
– Otherwise, Russia’s losses will be so great that it will take several generations to rebuild the country, he adds.
So far, peace talks have taken place at a lower level between Russian and Ukrainian delegations.
Program for refugees
Volodymyr Zelenskyj mentions, among other things, that the government has taken action in the customs service to ensure the rapid introduction of goods across borders.
– We eliminate all bureaucracy, all paperwork, VAT and all customs duties, he says.
Zelenskyj further informs that he has instructed government members to develop a program to support residents who have lost their homes during the war.
– We already have the main lines ready for such a program, says Zelenskyj.
According to the president, the program must be divided into two parts. It involves providing financial support to people who have fled their homes.
The second is to arrange temporary housing for internally displaced refugees, in addition to rebuilding housing after the war.
According to figures from FN There are now 6, 5 million internally displaced persons in Ukraine – people who have been forced to flee within the country’s borders.
–Escape routes
Zelensky says there are currently seven humanitarian corridors in Ukraine – six in the Sumy region and one in the Donetsk region.
According to the president, 9,000 people have been evacuated from the besieged port city of Mariupol in south-eastern Ukraine.
The city has experienced great destruction after heavy fighting and massive bombing.
Now the city, which originally housed 500,000 inhabitants, has been surrounded by Russian forces for almost two weeks. Attempt to evacuate civilians have been stopped several times by the resumption of fighting.
– A total of 180,000 have been rescued by the humanitarian corridors, Zelenskyj adds.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Saturday that they had agreed with Russia to create ten humanitarian corridors. They include a corridor from the port city of Mariupol, several in the Kyiv region and several in the Luhansk region of Ukraine, according to Vereshchuk.
According to the president, Ukraine has received hundreds of tons of necessary goods and emergency aid, but reports that they have challenges in getting the aid all the way through.
“The occupiers continue to block the supply of humanitarian aid to the besieged city in most areas,” he said, calling it a war crime.
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