Zelenskiy says Russian war causes environmental calamity for Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zeleskiy said on Wednesday (14 December) that Russia's war on Ukraine will cause environmental damage for many years. He urged New Zealand to lead diplomacy in addressing the problem.

Zelenskiy, the second foreign leader to address the New Zealand parliament, stated via video link from Ukraine that Russian terrorists had contaminated the country's oceans as well as 3 million hectares (7.4 million acres) of forest.

According to the parliament's translation, he said that dozens of rivers were polluted and hundreds of coal mines have been flooded. He also said that Russian strikes had decimated dozens of dangerous enterprises, including chemical ones.

He said "all this... will impact on millions of people", referring to the contamination of mines and munitions and leaks of hazardous chemicals.

Zelenskiy added: "You cannot rebuild nature destroyed just like you cannot restore lives destroyed."

Zelenskiy encouraged New Zealand, a strong supporter of Kyiv to lead efforts at UN and elsewhere to restore Ukraine’s environment security and to clear all mines.

Now in its 10th month, the war, with Russia calling it a "special operation" for demilitarizing Ukraine, but Kyiv and its allies calling it an unprovoked act conquest - has left behind millions of people and destroyed entire cities.

Jacinda Ardern, the New Zealand Prime Minister, announced Wednesday a NZ$3 million in humanitarian aid and assured Zelenskiy that it was not a forgotten conflict.

New Zealand, a tiny Pacific Country with just over 5 million inhabitants, has provided almost $40 million in aid and sanctioned more than 1,200 Russian entities since February.

"Our support for Ukraine does not depend on geography," Ardern said, adding that it was not determined by geography, diplomatic ties, or relationship. "Our judgment was simple: We asked ourselves, what if it were us?"

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