With globe distracted by Hamas Putin has upped attack on entire Western world - Comment

On the night of August 5 this year, we flew with the Ukrainian delegation to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to participate in the second round of consultations of national security advisers. We were very depressed, because the day before Russia destroyed the historic centre of Odessa with its barbaric shelling.

Today, when our team is attending another meeting on peace issues in Valletta, Malta, we are depressed again, because the day before they left the aggressor sneakily shelled Kharkiv. Without any military logic, Russia destroyed a large postal terminal with missiles. The attack was sudden, and his workers did not have time to run to shelters.

The postman is perhaps the most peaceful profession in the world, this real Santa 24/7/365. Six died on the spot. Eight more are fighting for their lives.

Almost three months have passed since our meeting in Jeddah, and here in Malta, I ask myself the question - are we closer to peace? Has the world become closer to peace?

Unfortunately, the answer to this question is no.

The war in Ukraine continues, instability in the world is increasing, and the threat to the common future is becoming greater.

And every responsible country should now ask itself the question: what have we done or wha can we do to stop the spiral of war and aggression?

We in Ukraine are acutely aware of how much we owe to our friends and allies for their moral and military support in the fight against Russian aggression.

We are still convinced that Putin's attempt to annex our territory is not just a seizure of our land and territory, but also a threat to Western democracy, European security and global prosperity.

It is not only about Ukraine. It's about all of us.

At the same time, the war has been going on for a year and a half, and of course we understand that our allies face different pressures from different sources - political, geographical, economic or social. All responsible countries want peace as soon as possible. That is why we have committed to a peace plan and are committed to ending the destructive impact of this ongoing war.

The consequences of the Russian invasion extend far beyond the borders of Ukraine, most affecting issues of global nuclear security, food supply, and energy security.

President Zelenskyi's peace formula solves each of these problems.

After the meeting in Jeddah, we formed 10 working groups with ambassadors from almost 80 countries accredited to Ukraine to offer the world clear step-by-step action plans. According to each of the points of the Peace Formula (and now in Malta) together with our allies, we will offer our common vision of how to achieve nuclear and energy security, food security, the release of our prisoners and deported persons, the restoration of Ukraine's sovereignty and respect for international law.

Ukraine is always ready for a balanced and constructive dialogue with states that respect international law and the principles of the UN Charter.

This readiness has been demonstrated, in particular, by our efforts to create a secure corridor for the export of grains and fertilisers on which many developing countries depend. Russia thwarted the first attempt to implement this initiative. In July 2022, it withdrew from the Black Sea Agreement, which briefly opened shipping lanes; then the Russians began bombing our ports, destroying thousands of tons of grain.

But we created an alternative corridor. It works, and all Russia's attempts to prevent it remain fruitless.

At the same time, we seek urgent action for the release of prisoners and deportees.

Among them are many children who were kidnapped from Ukrainian families and taken to Russia.

All of these are practical issues that can be quickly resolved by implementing the Peace Formula together with partners.

There is only one question we cannot discuss, for to do so would be to capitulate to tyranny. We cannot give our territory to Russia.

We should not reward the Kremlin for an illegal attack that claimed so many Ukrainian lives. Indeed, no other country that we know of would agree that its territory could first be taken by force and then surrendered to an aggressor by negotiation.

There is reason to believe that Putin hopes to profit from other conflicts in the world if he distracts Ukraine's allies and weakens their support for Kyiv.

We believe he will be disappointed.

President Joe Biden said in a recent address to the nation that support for Ukraine continues to be as "vital to America's national security."

He continued: "History has taught us that when terrorists don't pay a price for their terror, when dictators don't pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos, more death and more destruction ... and the cost and threat to America and the world continues to rise."

In Malta this weekend, we continued our search for a way to overcome the challenges and wider threats of a war that Ukraine did not seek; a war that Ukraine must not lose.

The peace formula is a Ukrainian initiative.

But the plan based on it, which we develop together with allies and partners, will belong to the whole world.

Each of our meetings against the background of this terrible war is evidence that we have become more than colleagues. We became like-minded and friends.

This is a signal to all humanity: we are bringing peace closer. The future is created by dialogue, not brute force.

More and more countries that respect international law and the UN Charter are joining the development of the plan. And in the end, Russia will be forced to give in to the world community. She will have to accept our common terms.

You might say I'm a dreamer. But I'm not the only one (John Lennon of course!) Elements of the plan are already being implemented. For example, with the participation of Qatar, a country that participates in the implementation of a number of points of the Peace Formula, we managed to bring home four Ukrainian children.

Meanwhile, the USA, Germany and other partners have provided Ukraine with air defence systems to protect energy infrastructure facilities, in accordance with the clause on strengthening energy security.

This is just the beginning. I am sure that the co-authors of the plan will go down in history books, because thanks to their efforts, dictators around the world will see that democracy is strong.

She will stand and win. For the sake of peace for each of us.

Andriy Yermak is the Chief of Staff for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.