On 18 July, Permanent Representative Olha Kuryshko participated in a panel discussion held within the forum Youth from Occupied and De-Occupied Territories — the Foundation of Ukraine’s Future.

The event also featured the participation of Andrii Klochko, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on the Organization of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning; Maksym Tkachenko, Deputy Chair of the Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy; Vladlen Nekliudov, Member of the Committee on Law Enforcement; Oleksandr Savchenko, Member of the Committee on National Security, Defence and Intelligence; as well as Mykola Kobysia, Director of the Ukrainian Youth Foundation.

The discussion was moderated by Oleksandr Kramar, a member of the Youth Council under the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

In her remarks, Olha Kuryshko highlighted the difficult path toward repealing discriminatory provisions that had prevented citizens residing in the temporarily occupied territories from receiving pensions. The Permanent Representative emphasized that, thanks to the persistent efforts of the state and civil society organizations, these barriers have now been removed — all individuals with the required insurance record are now entitled to receive pensions.

At the same time, Olha Kuryshko drew attention to a problem that remains unresolved: individuals who reached retirement age during the occupation currently have no access to pension benefits.

The Permanent Representative also addressed issues related to education and youth policy. She highlighted the ongoing practice of bringing teachers from Russia to Crimea — a component of the occupation administration’s systematic policy of imposing their own identity. In response, Ukraine continues to develop a consistent and comprehensive approach to working with youth — both in government-controlled areas and in temporarily occupied territories.

“There are people in Crimea and other temporarily occupied territories who enrolled in and completed their education during the occupation. At the same time, there are also those among us who pursued their education fully aware that Crimea is an occupied territory. That is why it is so important to work with young people — to support them, to provide opportunities for learning, development, and identity-building,” emphasized Permanent Representative Olha Kuryshko.

In concluding her remarks, Olha Kuryshko stressed the particular importance of the Crimean issue, underlining the need for sustained attention to this matter. She stated that Crimea must remain a priority both nationally and internationally, as its de-occupation is a key prerequisite for restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity and ensuring justice for citizens affected by the Russian occupation.