Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Environment
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has strongly focused on the massive environmental damage inflicted upon Ukraine by the Russian invasion, labeling it "an ecocide" and "an environmental bomb of mass destruction." His focus on environmental harm intensified significantly following the full-scale invasion in 2022.
While his pre-war platform concentrated on anti-corruption and political reform, the war has thrust ecological security to the forefront of his agenda. He has met with European leaders to specifically discuss and seek aid for addressing this wartime devastation.
Since the war began, Zelenskyy has repeatedly called for accountability for the destruction, linking it to war crimes and the need for future justice against Russia.
Context
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as President of Ukraine, has the authority to set national policy and lead international diplomacy, making his statements on environmental damage during the war highly significant for national recovery and international legal action.
The context of the ongoing, full-scale Russian invasion has shifted the focus of Zelenskyy's administration toward immediate existential threats, including the severe ecological toll of the conflict.
Actions Taken
- RhetoricDescribed the extensive environmental damage from the war as "an environmental bomb of mass destruction" and "an ecocide" (a crime in Ukraine).
- DiplomacyMet with prominent European politicians and others to discuss the environmental damage caused by the Russian invasion.
Key Quotes
We will find every scum who was shelling our cities, our people, who was shooting the missiles, who was giving orders. You will not have a quiet place on this earth – except for a grave.