President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in a video message on August 15 after the Stavka, asked the Verkhovna Rada to urgently convene to adopt a "defense legislative package for Ukraine", which will include the issue of determining the status of the Ukrainian military in Kursk Oblast and others.
Points of attention
- President Zelenskiy urges the Verkhovna Rada to swiftly adopt a defense legislative package for Ukraine to address vital issues in the military sector.
- The proposed legislative decisions include ensuring payment guarantees for soldiers involved in operations, supporting soldiers defending the state, and managing trophy weapons acquired in battles.
- Zelenskiy emphasizes the importance of depriving fleeing traitors and collaborators of any titles and awards in Ukraine to uphold integrity and honor within the military.
- The President's call for urgent consideration reflects the need to strengthen legal positions and enhance defense capabilities to protect Ukraine and its people.
- Furthermore, the meeting attended by key officials underscores Ukraine's commitment to security, humanitarian aid, and the establishment of military command posts to safeguard border communities and respond effectively to threats.
Zelenskiy called on the Rada to meet immediately to discuss defense issues
According to Zelenskiy, some legal positions require urgent consideration.
Already in August, some legal positions of our state need to be strengthened. The time has come to adopt important legislative matters — the defense legislative package for Ukraine. These are decisions that will help Ukrainian soldiers, the entire Ukrainian society, and our state institutions.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy
President of Ukraine
Zelenskiy singled out three important legislative decisions regarding the Armed Forces.
First. We must clearly guarantee precisely at the legislative level that our soldiers who participate in the Kursk operation, for example, and will participate in all our other actions on the territory of the aggressor state, will receive absolutely all the payments and preferences that are provided for the front line. And this should be done precisely by law, so that all our people have confidence that the state will work as it should.
Second. Every soldier who defends the Ukrainian state, defends our people, defends our independence, deserves recognition and maximum support. This applies, in particular, to those of our soldiers — Ukrainian legionnaires — who currently have the citizenship of other states, but not of Ukraine yet. They deserve to be our citizens, citizens of Ukraine, and should receive such respect from the Ukrainian state. It is also fair to extend this to their relatives, to the relatives of our heroes.
The third solution. The issue of trophy weapons, which our soldiers acquire in battles, must be settled. We have to manage it.
Zelenskiy also stated that it is necessary to deprive "traitors who fled to Russia after February 24" and collaborators of any ranks and awards in Ukraine.
The corresponding draft laws are also already in the parliament. And I ask the Verkhovna Rada to convene to consider these issues urgently in the near future.
Ukraine can create military command posts on the territory of Kurshchyna — Zelenskiy
The meeting was attended by the head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko, Minister of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets. The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrsky also joined in the online format.
As the head of state noted, key issues were discussed during the meeting — security, humanitarian aid, and the creation of military command posts if necessary.
Ukraine protects itself and the lives of its people in border communities and takes active actions on Russian territory. Our forces strictly comply with the requirements of international conventions and international humanitarian law.
