The Office of the President of Ukraine hosted a meeting of the international working group aimed at holding Russia accountable for environmental crimes and assisting Ukraine in environmental conservation efforts. The meeting was attended by former Deputy Prime Minister and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden Margot Wallström, Vice President of the European Parliament Heidi Hautala, former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, and environmental activist Greta Thunberg. On the Ukrainian side, the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, Ruslan Strylets, the advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Oleksandr Bevz, and the leaders of several Ukrainian environmental organizations, including the founder of UAnimals, Oleksandr Todorchuk, were present.
Key topics of the meeting included:
– Environmental damage caused by russia’s armed aggression.
– Prospects for overcoming the consequences for natural ecosystems.
– Opportunities for cooperation and support for Ukraine.
Minister Ruslan Strylets addressed representatives of global and Ukrainian environmental communities and emphasized that the Ministry of Environmental Protection is open to dialogue and cooperation. He mentioned that a scientific and expert council has already been established at the Ministry, which is developing an action plan for the restoration of the environment following the terrorist act by russia at the Kakhovska HPP.
Furthermore, activists called for supporting the recognition of ecocide as a crime, advocating for reparations for the consequences of environmental crimes, and developing mechanisms for swift response to crimes against the environment.
