protect civilians

As European leaders discuss potential peace negotiations, Ukraine is coming under a constant barrage of drone and rocket attacks by Russia.

We all heard US President Donald Trump talk about the thousands of people who have died in the war.

I urge him and other leaders to also speak about thousands of Ukrainian women and men who are being tortured in Russian prisons and 20,0000 Ukrainian children who are kidnapped and deported to Russia.

Peace negotiations must get the victims of war released and the war criminals punished. We must ensure that Ukrainian democracy is protecte

I want to remind peace negotiators that peace is the freedom to live without fear of violence and to have a long-term perspective.

We must remember that the war with Russia is not just a war between two states. It is a war between two systems: authoritarianism and democracy. Each system has its own set of values and attitudes.

Authoritarian regimes often practice certain cultural attitudes, especially in their treatment of women

That is the reason why, for instance, in Iran women are persecuted for “inappropriate clothing”; in Afghanistan, women are banned from schools and universities; and in Russia, domestic violence is decriminalised. It is always a projection of what the government does to people in their country.

So, when we discuss the peace deal, we must ensure that Ukrainians’ fight for freedom and democracy is not undermined.

After all, a deal that concedes too much only paves the way for future misery and conflict at the hands of a Russia determined to pursue its imperialistic ambitions.

War crimes remain unpunished

Ukraine needs security guarantees that protect it from subsequent attacks and prevent the war from spreading to other countries. The most compelling one would be NATO membership

NATO’s principle of collective defence would ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty and European security. Until then, Ukraine must be protected by comprehensive security arrangements and deterrence measures.

Russia’s track record makes these guarantees necessary. The Minsk agreements were signed in 2014-2015 following Russia’s illegal invasion and subsequent occupation of Crimea and parts of the east. Yet, when it suited Putin, he declared they “do not exist”.

So, there can be no sustainable peace without justice. We must also remember that this war launched by Russia against Ukraine is the result of the impunity that Russia has enjoyed for decades.

Russian troops committed war crimes in Chechnya, Georgia, Syria and Libya. And they were never punished. Russia believed that it could do whatever it wanted.

This ruthlessness is also evident in Russia’s use of terror in the occupied territories. The Russian army kidnaps, imprisons, tortures and kills civilians, violating the principle of humane treatment of prisoners of war.

According to the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry in Ukraine, people in captivity are subjected to beatings, electric shocks, suffocation, sexual violence, pulling out of nails and teeth, deprivation of water, food and sleep, and lack of medical care.

The peace process should include the immediate release of all deported and illegally detained Ukrainian civilians and exchange prisoners of war. As a precondition, Russia should grant full access to international, humanitarian, and religious organisations to improve conditions of detention and treatment immediately

The UN, the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) should be granted free access to the occupied territories. Currently, millions of Ukrainians trapped in occupied territories are being severely mistreated at the hands of a Russian state seeking to eliminate Ukrainian culture and break its people.

When properly applied, the Geneva Convention would ensure that civilians are at liberty to move from the occupied territories to the free territories of Ukraine. It would guarantee the right to life and personal integrity, the preservation of Ukrainian identity and freedom of access to the internet and media.

A peace with no guarantees won’t protect civilians

Amongst the Ukrainians held by Russia are at least 20,000 children. Russia is systematically erasing their identity through brutal re-education camps and forced adoption by Russian families.

Every illegally abducted Ukrainian child must be located and returned immediately to their families. Their safe return should be monitored by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Russia’s aggression in Ukraine is only possible when it has the necessary funds. Putin speaks of preparing for the global struggle ahead and has restructured the economy to serve his military needs. It is vital to restrict the ability of the Russian economy to finance Putin’s military plans in Ukraine and other parts of the world.

Tough sanctions must remain in place until Russia vacates all occupied Ukrainian territory. Frozen Russian assets should be seized and used for Ukraine’s defence, to compensate victims, and to rebuild Ukraine’s economy and infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and energy facilities destroyed by Putin’s army.

Ukrainians want an end to the death and destruction. However, a peace deal that does not guarantee the country’s safety, that does not protect the Ukrainian men, women and children who are suffering so unimaginably, and which does not cut off the financial capacity of Russia will only delay, not destroy, its ability to pursue its devastating goals.

And then, it will continue its reign of terror beyond our borders.

As Ukrainians, we continue to fight for our lives, and this fight for a peace deal that protects us for the future is one of the most urgent and important battles of all.

Oleksandra Matviichuk is a Ukrainian human rights lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize winner.