Russian efforts to promote its interests at Cop27 will fail, says Ukraine minister

Ruslan Strilets says most of the 'civilised world' has already made its judgment

Ruslan Strilets, Ukraine's minister of environmental protection and natural resources, speaks at the Ukraine Pavilion during the Cop27 climate summit in Egypt. AP

Efforts by Russia to promote its interests at Cop27 will fail, a Ukraine minister has said from Sharm El Sheikh.

Ruslan Strilets, minister of environmental protection and natural resources, said he had heard Russian delegates, including representatives of the oil and gas industry, were attending the UN climate talks in Egypt but he hadn’t seen them and wouldn't talk to them.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, he said the majority of the civilised world had made up their mind and had condemned Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

“Russian efforts to [promote] their interests here will fail because all civilised countries will ignore this,” he said speaking through an interpreter.

Mr Strilets also said Ukraine would not talk to his Russian counterpart at Cop27 if they met accidentally, and said it was still very early to start assessing environmental damage in the newly-retaken Kherson area and touted how Ukraine would move to a greener future.

“There is a lot to be done to make the region safe for the work of our experts,” he said, regarding Kherson.

“It is one thing to get to Kherson but quite another for our experts to go into forests. It is very dangerous. I’m sure this process will be organised in the shortest possible time.”

Cop27 in Sharm El Sheikh — in pictures

He also outlined some of the environmental damage done to Ukraine since the start of Russia's invasion in February.

He said there were 2,239 cases of environmental damage recorded, at least 20 per cent of protected areas under threat and about $35.3 billion in environmental damage done by Russia. Ukraine estimates that rebuilding will result in about 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

It is the first time Ukraine has had a pavilion at a Cop summit. Its sombre structure is painted in grey to reflect the war back home.

Ukraine pavilion at Cop27 — in pictures

Russian media, meanwhile, reported that their country's delegation had travelled to Cop27 and was set to hold bilateral meetings during the two-week event.

The UN climate talks continue until November 18 in Sharm El Sheikh.