President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in the first meeting of the Advisory Council for the Affairs of War Veterans, Families of the Fallen (Deceased) Defenders of Ukraine. The meeting was also attended by Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak.
Opening the meeting, Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that only the direct participants in the hostilities could understand the problems of veterans and families of heroes who died for the independence of our state. Therefore, one of the tasks of the council is to develop an appropriate work plan to overcome these problems of veterans.
"We need a global plan. A normal, living strategy. So that you and I can see: we can solve something by a government decree, something - by law; this is with the support of the President, and this is with the support of business,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
According to the Head of State, the Advisory Council, for example, may join the development of a bill on the activities of private military companies.
"There are two draft laws on the private army that have not yet been registered in parliament. One of them does not provide for any restrictions. This is a bill so that one or another business group can officially make a private army for itself. And this is very dangerous," the President said, adding that the Veterans Advisory Council could help develop a balanced bill.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that the council should put forward priority legislative developments as soon as possible so that the parliament could approve them before the closing of the current session.
Serhiy Kunitsyn, Chairman of the Advisory Board, thanked the President for establishing such an advisory body and noted that the council would help the authorities avoid duplication and unbalanced decisions.
"The main thing for us is to be supported in the issues of participants in hostilities, families of the fallen and prisoners of war. All this should receive our expert assessments. Then it will be easier for you, and we will not be ashamed to look into the eyes of the fighters," Serhiy Kunitsyn said.
Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak said that the Advisory Council, which consists of seven subgroups, will meet weekly. Such a schedule will help the body work out a decision quickly. The first meeting is scheduled for next week.