First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniyenko addressed the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, focusing on ensuring good governance under conditions of full-scale war, the reconstruction of Ukraine, and russia's international accountability for the crimes committed.
He began his address by outlining the situation in Ukraine and the aftermath of yet another russian attack. Oleksandr Korniyenko emphasized that while international forums discuss the principles of good governance, rescuers in Ukrainian cities are clearing rubble, medics are treating the wounded, and local authorities are restoring critical services following enemy shelling.
According to him, for Ukraine, good governance during war holds primarily practical significance — it is the state's capacity to perform its functions despite constant russian attacks. Resilience is maintained daily by the Defense Forces, local self-government bodies, rescuers, medics, educators, and the Parliament.
At the same time, despite the war, Ukrainian society continues to demand transparency and government accountability, while the state moves along the path of European integration, emphasized Oleksandr Korniyenko. He recalled that this year Ukraine opened the negotiating cluster on accession to the European Union, which encompasses issues of democracy and the rule of law.
The First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine paid special attention to the future reconstruction of the state. According to him, Ukraine’s needs are already estimated at nearly 600 billion dollars. It is fundamentally important that the recovery process be transparent, accountable, and carried out with the direct participation of local communities.
One of the key topics of his address was international accountability for russian crimes. Oleksandr Korniyenko recalled that the International Criminal Court has already issued arrest warrants for vladimir putin and maria lvova-belova in the case concerning the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children.
"Behind these crimes are the fates of children who were forcibly separated from their parents, deprived of their homes, and taken from their native country. As a father of three daughters, I feel this tragedy particularly acutely," he noted.
The First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine also emphasized the necessity of fully launching the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression and the International Claims Commission for Ukraine. These mechanisms must ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice and that damage caused is fully compensated.
Oleksandr Korniyenko called on parliaments worldwide to take the necessary steps, including the ratification of relevant international instruments, to ensure the effectiveness of international accountability mechanisms.
In conclusion, he stressed that international law must work not only at the level of declarations. It depends directly on the concrete decisions of states and parliaments whether russian crimes will bear legal consequences, and whether victims will have real mechanisms for protection and compensation.