Considering the time frame, it is not correct to assume that russia’s war against Ukraine started after 24, February 2022.
In February last year, the world witnessed the escalation of a war that had been going on for a long time. In the spring of 2014, russia occupied the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and tried to create “people’s republics” in the east, south and center of Ukraine. Russian citizens under the guise of an “independence movement” attempted to seize power in Donetsk and Luhansk with the support of russian armed forces.
In response to these illicit acts Ukraine launched in 2014 an anti-terrorist operation. On February 24, 2022, russia officially attacked Ukraine and since then the lives of 45 millions of Ukrainians were not the same.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights verified a total of 7,155 civilian deaths during conflicts in Ukraine as of February 5, 2023. Of them, 438 were children. Furthermore, 11,662 people were reported to have been injured. However, OHCHR specified that the real numbers could be higher.
However, Ukraine and the entire civilized world strive for peace and are committed to the principle of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The Ukrainian Parliament calls countries across the globe to join the process of implementation of the Ukrainian Peace Formula for the sake of peace in Ukraine, Asia, Europe and the world. President Zelenskyy proposed to convene this winter a special Summit for that purpose.
In a speech at the G20 summit in Indonesia, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the “Ukrainian formula for peace”. Implementation of the 10-point Peace Formula will bring the end to russia’s war of aggression. The peace formula is based on the following cornerstones:
- Radiation and nuclear security;
- Food security;
- Energy security;
- Release of all deportees;
- Restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, respect for UN Charter;
- Total withdrawal of all russian troops from all of Ukraine;
- Punishment for war crimes;
- Protection for the environment, stopping russia’s ecocide in Ukraine;
- New security architecture and security guarantees for Ukraine;
- Signing of peace treaty.
The first three points in the plan are the foundations that have the greatest impact on the whole world. Namely, radiation and nuclear security, food, and energy security. Occupation of Ukraine’s large nuclear plants, periodic shelling of russian missiles over zones of radiation made the world very concerned about the possibility of a real nuclear disaster.
The President of Ukraine expressed the need to punish the russian federation both for armed aggression against Ukraine and for the “catastrophic co” that russia provoked with its illegal war for the whole world. “Punishment for the crime of aggression. Punishment for violation of territorial integrity. Punishment should apply until the internationally recognized border of Ukraine is restored. Until the aggression stops. Until there is full compensation for the war,” President Zelenskyy said.
The very fact that the “Ukrainian formula for peace” is being proposed may indicate that the authorities in Ukraine are not “militaristic” and are ready – under acceptable conditions – for a peaceful settlement. The President of Ukraine also proposed to the UN General Assembly to create a new world security system based on guarantees. “Every nation has the right to guarantee security. Not only the largest nations. We have proposals for the modernization of the security system, which will not allow any aggression against us. We are already presenting them,” the President emphasized.
Ukraine is currently working together with hundreds of states on the adoption of a resolution of the UN General Assembly on the occasion of the tragic first anniversary of the full-scale invasion by the russian federation, and we expect that not only in substance this resolution will correspond to the spirit of the Peace Formula, but also directly support this initiative.
Ukraine offers states and international organizations to join the implementation of each of the ten points of the Peace Formula. Only collective international resistance to russia`s military aggression can stop the grossest violations of human rights, violations of the basic rules of international law, and send the russian army to follow the trail of the russian warship “Moskva”. Ukraine is ready for immediate cooperation with foreign countries to implement a peace strategy, end the war, and prevent new russian aggression against other countries.
By Dmytro Deineko, Doctoral Researcher in International Law, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
