The issue of russian aggression against Ukraine was raised at a meeting of the UN Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources for European Integration Iryna Stavchuk spoke about the consequences of russia's aggression for Ukraine at the 60th session of the Working Group on Strategies and Review of the Executive Body of the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution, which will last from 11 to 14 April 2021 in Geneva, Switzerland.

The meeting began with a minute of silence to honor the memory of Ukrainians who

died as a result of the armed aggression of the russian federation. In his speech, Marco Keiner, Director of the UNECE Environment Division, condemned russia's military aggression in Ukraine, which resulted in significant civilian casualties, destruction and environmental damage.

"Unfortunately, our meeting is overshadowed by reports of horrific crimes committed by russia in Ukraine. However, we must not lose sight of our goal of reducing air pollution and taking responsible action. I am convinced of the important role of international relations and peaceful diplomacy in addressing today's challenges," said Marco Keiner.

During her speech, Iryna Stavchuk stressed that large-scale russian aggression in Ukraine, supported by belarus, has created a number of environmental risks. The shelling of Ukrainian oil depots, chemical plants and other industrial facilities has a direct environmental impact on the state of the air not only in Ukraine but also in other countries.

"Despite the martial law, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources has prepared an annual report on emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere. In accordance with the protocol of Cooperative Programme for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-range Transmission of Air Pollutants in Europe (EMEP). The document was sent to the EMEP Steering Body in time and published on their official website, "said the Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine for European Integration.

At the same time, experts are already trying to predict what the emissions are expected for the current year.

"Polluted air has no state borders. Emissions into the atmosphere caused by russian military aggression on our territory are transferred and affect the territory of other states," Iryna Stavchuk said.

She reported on the work of the operational headquarters within the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, which since the first days of russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine had been collecting information on the state of the environment and environmental crimes of the aggressor country.

Work is currently underway on a new module based on the Unified Ecological Platform "Ecosystem" - Eco Threat. It provides a form for recording environmental crimes, processing and transmitting information to relevant government agencies.

"Today, every country in the world must make every effort to stop the invasion of Ukraine, which could lead to a global environmental and humanitarian catastrophe," said Iryna Stavchuk.

The Deputy Minister drew the attention of international partners to the fact that russia had seriously violated its obligations under international agreements. Article 26 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties states that every existing treaty is binding on all its parties and must be performed in good faith. russia's invasion undermines all foundations of the international legal order. Therefore, the above-mentioned actions make it impossible to achieve the goal of the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution and to fulfill its objectives.

"The Government of Ukraine will hold further consultations with the interested Contracting Parties to study all options for bringing the aggressor country to justice with full use of the current mechanisms of the Vienna Convention," Iryna Stavchuk concluded.

Ukraine's speech was supported by the United States, Great Britain, Canada, the EU, Norway, Georgia and Switzerland. A total of 27 countries.

The representative of russia has traditionally condemned the politicization of the meeting on the implementation of the UN Environmental Convention and reiterated the standard rhetoric that Ukraine itself provoked the war.

It should be noted that at the beginning of his speech, diplomats from all but three countries left the meeting room.

We express gratitude to international partners for their firm position and support of Ukraine!