Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that the environmental harm from Russia's war will affect millions of people for years and urged New Zealand to take leadership in diplomacy to address the damage, Reuters reports.
Speaking to the New Zealand parliament – just the second foreign leader to do so – Zelenskyy said by video link from Ukraine that Russian attacks have contaminated the country's oceans and 3 million hectares (7.4 million acres) of forest.
"Dozens of rivers are polluted, hundreds of coal mines are flooded, dozens of the most dangerous enterprises, including chemical ones have been destroyed by Russian strikes," he said, according to translation provided by the parliament. "All this ... will have a direct impact on millions of people," he said, referring to leaks of hazardous chemicals and contamination from mines and munitions.
"You cannot rebuild the destroyed nature, just as you cannot restore the destroyed lives," Zelenskyy added.
Read Also
-
“Trump and Musk must be held accountable”: US senator warns Starlink network failing over Ukraine could cripple its shield against Russian missiles and drones
-
“Trump was looking for any opportunity to undermine our defense capabilities,” top Ukrainian volunteer, who supplied 291,502 FPV drones to front, says of sudden Starlink limit
-
NATO country that pays for Kyiv’s Starlink warns Musk as his cap breaks Ukraine’s drone missions: “As your European customers, we are watching you”
