Kuleba: Peace Formula only way to just, lasting peace

Russia cannot ignore the voice of the international community if the latter takes a principled position and act as one, and President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Peace Formula provides precisely such an opportunity.

That’s according to Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who spoke at the UN General Assembly debate on Friday, reporting on the situation of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

The Minister said Ukraine was actively working with partners on the preparation of the first Global Peace Summit to be hosted by Switzerland. He called on all UN member states to take an active part in the process and attend the upcoming event.

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"The scale of this war and its global consequences are enormous, as is the suffering of Ukrainians," the minister said.

He paid special attention to the fate of abducted Ukrainian children, civilian hostages, as well as thousands of prisoners of war while Russia does not allow access of international observers. He called on the international community to facilitate the release and exchange of Ukrainian prisoners of war.

The minister also highlighted human rights violations in the occupied territories, which include political persecution, arbitrary detentions, torture, and sexual abuse.

"There is literally no crime in the Rome Statute that Russia did not commit during this war,” Kuleba stressed noting that it is not surprising that the Russian president himself is wanted by the International Criminal Court for the crime of abducting Ukrainian children.

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The minister expressed his gratitude to the UN member states, which consistently support the important appeals passed by the General Assembly, which condemn Russian aggression against Ukraine and call on Moscow to cease hostilities.

If the international community is serious about restoring peace not only in Ukraine, but also in the whole world, it is time to act, Kuleba stressed, noting that the Global Peace Summit offers precisely such a concrete and realistic path to peace.