Opening address by Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk at a session of the Government on April 25, 2014

My greetings!

Today one week has passed since the moment of Geneva meeting. I remind it was a quadripartite meeting (Ukraine, U.S.A, European Union and Russia). After this meeting the Government of Ukraine in synergy with the international community has made definite steps to stabilize the situation.

The only country that has made nothing but readied their troops for action and drew hundreds tanks, armored personnel carriers and thousands soldiers to the Ukrainian-Russian border is Russia.

Today the global community has rigidly condemned Russia for the fact it is Russia that is exporting and supporting terrorism in Ukraine. A Russian spokesman announced that Russia shall apply the right to self-defense in case that the rights of Russian citizens are violated on the territory of Ukraine.

By doing so Russia recognized that on the territory of Ukraine where certain terrorist organizations are acting, the unknown persons with weapon in their hands are Russian citizens. And it is understandable now that these citizens represent special services of the Russian Federation. The recent statement of Russia is nothing but direct proof of presence of Russian citizens who support terrorists on the territory of Ukraine.

As the Government of Ukraine we haven’t just declared but taken certain steps having discussed and declared in Geneva. The first step is a broad and overall Constitutional reform. On Tuesday the Parliament will hold public hearings on including changes to the Ukrainian Constitution.

Our target is decentralizing of power. Our aim is to protect every citizen of Ukraine. Our aim is reflecting in the new Ukrainian Constitution responsibilities of local communities, protection of national minorities, protection of Russian language and protection of other languages, protection of territorial integrity and unity of the country. And we are following this line.

Unfortunately, by supporting terrorists on the territory of Ukraine Russia hasn’t made a step to withdraw these people and stabilize the situation. And it is evident that the goals of Russia include: first – to undermine the presidential elections in Ukraine, to deprive Ukraine of a legitimately elected President; the second – to dislodge the pro-European and pro-Ukrainian Government, and the third – to seize Ukraine both in a military and political way

Every mentioned plan will fail. We will defend our country by all possible means and ways we possess: politically, diplomatically, militarily.

The attempts of military aggression on the territory of Ukraine will lead to military conflict on the territory of Europe. The world hasn’t forgotten the Second World War and Russia wants to start the Third World War. The full responsibility for aggression on Ukraine’s territory for undermining the international security and stability rests with leaders of the Russian Federation. It is the country that violates the UN State, it is the country that has violated our bilateral liabilities, it is the country that behaves as heavily armed gangsters. But the time comes when someone gets smashed face in.

The Government of Ukraine will continue advocating an idea of sticking to the Geneva agreements. Inside the country we will carry out the Constitutional reform.

We will do our best to stabilize the situation. We are waiting for the IMF decision in order to stabilize the economic situation, we will hold fair and transparent elections, we are ready to discharge from liability exceptionally those who hand over weapon and leave the captured buildings. Only the persons who committed serious crimes won’t be released from responsibility.

The chance to peacefully stele the situation always remains. By the whole global community has realized that there is a single country that wishes neither stability in Europe nor in the whole world and this country is called the Russian Federation.

We address a demand to Russia to fulfill what Russia has promised. Russia was forced to condemn extremists. Russia was forced to state that it was necessary to disarm and free the buildings illegally seized by the terrorists in Ukraine. But they have made no step but continue to encourage confrontation, sponsor terrorism and send specially trained Russian citizens with Russian special service IDs.

Day after day the Ukrainian party meets with Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, with the mission staying in Ukraine presently. The mission has access to the entire territory of Ukraine and we guarantee anyone of OSCE mission can arrive to any point where an anti-terrorist operation is in act and to get personally convinced that the anti-terrorist operation is aimed at the only thing – to preserve human lives and fight bandits who are killing people by guns and it reached the point that they are hiding behind children in kindergardens. Are they supported by Russia? Is it the face of the Russian democracy?

Support by the Russian Federation of the terrorist, bandits who are torturing innocent civilians is the international crime. And such crimes should be punished for, as these are crimes against humanity”.

We call on the entire international community to unite against the Russian aggression. The challenge that Ukraine faces today is the challenge to the whole civilized world. Preserving of the territorial integrity of Ukrainian state will result in preserving peace and stability in Europe. And if the U.S.A., the European Union member states, if Ukraine and the entire international community will continue preserving unity and act jointly and concertedly in order to make Russia sticking to its international commitments, then we will preserve peace, stability and global safety system which Ukraine wishes to destroy.

The world is with us. On a daily basis I have negotiations with the world community and even the Pope has appointed an audience to reveal support to Ukraine and demonstrate that the entire world is with Ukraine. But to my conviction, dear members of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, responsibility for our country is in our hands. It is our country, our people, it is our future and our battle.

And in order to win we must fight. We are waiting for an official reaction from Russia pursuant to the international commitments. Yesterday we sent an official inquiry from the OSCE: during 48 hours Russia should inform what their soldiers do on the Ukrainian border. 24 hours have passed, we are expecting an official response from the Russian Federation.

Today we must approve a number of decisions in the direction of intensifying the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. And I ask the members of the Cabinet of Ministers to consider that.

Olexandr Vitaliyovych, has the IMF Executive Board appointed a meeting for the 30th? It is good, we will be waiting for a decision of the IMF Executive Board. And absolutely understandable that accumulation of Russian troops on the Ukraine’s territory is also connected to the desire to undermine our program of economic aid.

I can repeat once again what is the plan: to undermine the presidential elections, to deprive of a chance to get a legitimately elected President, to undermine the program of economic assistance for Ukraine, which the entire world is ready to support, to displace pro-Ukrainian Government and return to the country darkness, corruption, gangsterism and terrorism exported here by Russia.

None of these plans has a chance to be realized. And we will continue fighting for our country both on the international arena and inside the country by all lawful means and methods, protecting our own state and our citizens.  

Thanks the media!