Today, June 13, 2022, the Minister of Education and Science Serhiy Shkarlet took part in the meeting of G7 science ministers.
Serhiy Shkarlet spoke about the functioning of the Ukrainian scientific and innovative system in the conditions of Russian aggression, the urgent tasks that MES specialists work on daily together with foreign partners, and the results achieved.
"Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, which has already begun for 110 days, is taking lives, forcing Ukrainians to leave their homes and scientists and innovators to seek opportunities to continue their activities abroad. The war is destroying our infrastructure, including research and innovation, leading to significant economic losses, severe environmental consequences and the global food crisis," said Sergei Shkarlet.
The Minister stressed that Ukraine demonstrates its courage daily and heroically opposes Russian aggression.
"We believe in victory and are already working on a plan to restore Ukraine in the war and post-war periods. Science, technology, and innovation play and will play one of the key roles in the speedy recovery of Ukraine's war-torn regions," said Serhiy Shkarlet.
He said that the urgent tasks are:
- support for scientists and innovators in martial law;
- relocation of higher education institutions and research institutions;
- creating opportunities to continue scientific, scientific-technical and innovative activities of internally displaced persons;
- improving the institute of academic mobility;
- developing programs to return scientists and innovators who have been forced to leave the country;
- work on the implementation of the principles of open science and innovation;
- accelerating the processes of integration into the European and world research spaces.
Federal Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger and all fellow ministers of the G7 countries expressed solidarity with Ukrainian educators and scientists, who, despite the difficult situation in the country, are confidently on the path of modernizing science.
In their speeches, the G7 science ministers emphasized the support of Ukraine and Ukrainian scientists. They also expressed readiness to continue to help Ukrainian children and their families who lost their homes due to Russian military bombings.
The main results of the meeting:
- Canada has established a fund to support Ukrainian youth's education and scientists' employment.
- France has set up a financial aid fund for research, allowing Ukrainian scientists to resume research.
- The United States has allocated $ 4 million to support our scientists. Institutions are currently developing support programs for all victims of the war.
- The United Kingdom, in particular the British Academy of Sciences, is ready to provide jobs for Ukrainian scientists to continue their research.
The event was also attended by European Commissioner Maria Gabriel, who assured that the EU Commission will continue to support Ukraine.
"Every day our state demonstrates its courage and heroically resists Russian aggression. The international community sees all this and, as Ms. Bettina Stark-Watzinger said, it is important for the world that Ukraine become even stronger. Comprehensive support for new ideas, science and innovation, will accelerate the integration into the European and world research space," Serhiy Shkarlet said in his telegram channel.
He called on the G7 ministers of education and research to continue to increase pressure on the aggressor country, as Ukraine heroically opposes Russian aggression, fighting for common values ​​on a daily basis.
