Zelenskyy announces Ukraine Int'l aid agency; lists tasks for Ukraine's 2023 ambassadors

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday announced the agenda for the newly appointed diplomats for the next year that included the negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU, as well as NATO summit preparations.  "There are specific tasks for you and me for the next year. I will outline some of them that we must implement so that next year will be a truly victorious year for all of us. So, the start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU. Preparations for the planned NATO summit and ensuring the concrete results of this summit for Ukraine, which we all know about," Zelenskyy said at a conference of Ukrainian ambassadors on Friday, according to Interfax. 

"Ukrainian energy and our country's needs for recovery after Russian strikes, Fast Recovery Plan – please work as closely as possible with the government, with the Office, international organizations and partner states, so that all these agreements are provided with concrete content and results," Zelenskyy told the ambassadors. 

All Ukrainian ambassadors shall present updated defence and security needs, and put in continuous work to meet these needs, said Zelenskyy. The latter also pushed for new sanctions packages against the Russian Federation in 2023. "The terrorist state must feel real pressure, and it is your actions – the actions of our diplomatic corps – that should be directed at this. The Court for the Crime of Aggression and the responsibility of war criminals – work so that your host countries support us," he noted. 

Creation of the Ukrainian International Aid Agency

At the Conference of Ambassadors of Ukraine "War and New Horizons in the World" in Kyiv. Zelenskyy also announced the creation of the Ukrainian International Aid Agency. He informed the ambassadors that the global coalition was created with the aim of the ongoing war and rebuilding efforts in the upcoming year, protection of international security, vital defence, financial, sanction, humanitarian, and other global support. 

"143 countries of the world – more than ever before – supported our territorial integrity and condemned Russian aggression," Zelenskyy stressed. 

"And next year, we will increase this, I believe, very important activity of ours. Special attention is paid to those regions and continents where our interests are so far represented less than we need for the good of Ukraine and our protection against Russian aggression. In particular, this is Africa," he continued to add.