H.E. Ms Larysa Gerasko:

The summit was the inaugural summit and brought together more than 100 countries and four international organisations.

The world community demonstrated to Russia that we are together and need to find a peaceful solution to restore peace and justice in the world. I am sure that Russia, Putin and the Kremlin take these signals very seriously. That was the reason Putin made a statement and ultimatum on the eve of the summit. Some countries did not sign the joint communiqué due to their position on some issues. However, this joint communiqué is open for signing. Other countries can sign it a little later.

On children, according to our data, which is not confirmed, 700,000 Ukrainian children were deported from the territory of Ukraine. We have only approximately 20,000 documented cases. Of course, we provide psychological and other kinds of assistance to the 600 children who were returned to Ukraine. The Bring Kids Back UA coalition should work more actively in order to return our children back to Ukraine. What Russia is doing right now is re-educating the Ukrainian children who were deported to Russia. It bans them from speaking any Ukrainian and brainwashes these children. It can be imagined what parents feel and how they live knowing that their children were deported and some of them were forcibly adopted. That was the reason the International Criminal Court, ICC, issued an order against Putin and the Russian commissioner on children's rights who, as members know, illegally adopted Ukrainian children. There are some other cases of illegal adoption by Russian officials. Unfortunately, the situation regarding the return of children needs a stronger response from the international community. Ireland has joined the Bring Kids Back UA coalition. We hope Ireland will participate more actively in it.

With regard to demining, as I mentioned, Ireland provided military training for humanitarian demining and two pieces of equipment. A few enterprises in Ireland produce demining equipment. On the Ukrainian side, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine is interested in getting more demining equipment.

I underline once again that this is humanitarian demining. Our farmers plan, sow grain and work in the fields. Our people move freely in the cities. Our civilians have to live normally but it is impossible, unfortunately. Can you imagine a mined area of 156,000 sq. km? It is huge.

On electricity, as I mentioned, 80% of thermal stations were destroyed and some 50% of all capacity in the energy sector has been destroyed. Civilians in Ukraine now live almost without electricity. We supply electricity to civilians for just four or five hours per day. They live without electricity for 18 or 19 hours a day. It is summer now but, unfortunately, this winter and autumn will be extremely difficult for our civilians because our winters are very cold. We will face a future problem with the heating system and everything else. We need to rebuild and recover energy infrastructure as soon as possible before wintertime.

On accountability, Ireland joined our motion to the International Court of Justice, ICJ. If I am not mistaken, last year, Ireland gave financial aid of approximately €3 million to the ICC for its investigations. Ireland participates very actively in that regard, giving a voluntary contribution of €150,000 to the ICC, in addition to that €3 million.