Statement of the Green Party of Ukraine  The Green Party of Ukraine (GPU) expresses its deep disappointment with recent statements by newly elected Australian Greens leader Senator David Shoebridge regarding the refusal to provide military assistance to Ukraine. We sincerely thank the Australian Greens for supporting humanitarian missions and calling for a complete embargo on Russian oil. At the same time, we emphasise that refusing to provide defensive weapons to a country waging a just war of liberation is a dangerous illusion that plays into the hands of the aggressor, Vladimir Putin. The Green Party of Ukraine emphasises: Dogmatic pacifism kills. As part of the global environmental movement, we share a commitment to peace. However, pacifism in the face of a ruthless invader does not stop war — it leads to occupation and the destruction of an entire nation. Ukraine is exercising its legitimate right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter. The absurdity of a “UN veto”. Senator Shoebridge’s demand that arms supplies be authorised through the UN Security Council, where Russia holds the power of veto, is detached from reality. It is equivalent to asking a criminal for permission to call the police. Russia’s war is causing massive ecocide. Russian forces deliberately destroy dams, mine millions of hectares of Ukraine’s fertile black soil, burn unique nature reserves and poison Europe’s water resources. Environmental protection is impossible without protecting the people who live in that environment. The only way to stop this ecological catastrophe is to stop the Russian army by force. Unity among the global Greens. Green parties across Europe have long recognised this threat. They are at the forefront of political forces demanding maximum military assistance for Ukraine. We call on our Australian colleagues to follow the example of their European Green counterparts. The Green Party of Ukraine welcomes the position taken by Australian Senator Sarah Hanson-Young Senator Sarah Hanson-Young and those members of the Australian Greens who have publicly spoken out in defence of Ukraine. We call on David Shoebridge to reconsider his position, listen to the voices of Ukrainian environmentalists and support the provision of defensive weapons to Ukraine. Only victory over the aggressor can restore lasting peace and security to the European continent. greenparty.ua/patsyfizm-ne-z…

Last weekend, together with fellow Ukrainian ambassadors, I visited the village of Yahidne in the Chernihiv region. It is difficult to find words for what happened here in March 2022. Russian troops forced 368 civilians—including 69 children and elderly people—into the basement of the local school, where they were held for 27 days in unimaginable conditions. With almost no space, little food or water, and barely any fresh air, people were forced to sleep sitting up. Ten civilians died in the basement. Others were executed during the occupation. We met some of the survivors. They shared their stories with remarkable courage and dignity. Listening to them inside the very basement where they had been imprisoned was a profoundly moving experience. It is impossible to stand in that place and not feel the weight of what they endured. Yahidne is a stark reminder of why this war is not about territory. It is about people. It is about the deliberate terror inflicted on civilians. And it is about ensuring that those responsible for these atrocities are held accountable. As Ukraine continues its fight for freedom, we must continue to tell these stories. The world must not forget what happened in Yahidne—or in Bucha, Izium, Mariupol, and so many other Ukrainian communities that suffered and continue suffering under Russian occupation. Memory is a form of justice. Accountability is the path to lasting peace.