WPBF Chanel 12 - Maryna Baydyuk urges accountability in Russia-Ukraine War as peace talks loom

WPBF Channel 12 (WPB)

Ukrainian American advocate urges accountability in Russia-Ukraine War as peace talks loom
Maryna Baydyuk, founder of United Help Ukraine, warns that any peace deal must include security assurances and accountability for war crimes.

Fla. —
As the war in Ukraine rages on, one Ukrainian American advocate is fighting to keep the world’s attention on the crisis.

Maryna Baydyuk, the President and Executive Director of United Help Ukraine, says security assurances and accountability for war crimes are critical to any peace deal.

For Baydyuk, this war is deeply personal — her family remains in Kyiv, living under constant threat. Every morning, she starts her day by checking an app to see if they have survived another night.

"I have an application on my phone that shows when the attacks are starting … No one is safe, unfortunately," Baydyuk said.

Baydyuk has spent years raising millions to help Ukrainians survive, but she said her country still faces a daily assault.

"The war is far from over … people are dying every single day, not only on the front lines, but civilians that are targeted," Baydyuk said.

She fears for her family in Kyiv, where Russian forces once came dangerously close to seizing the capital.

"My family … we had a hard time evacuating them from Kyiv when Kyiv was almost surrendered by Russia," Baydyuk said.

Now, as peace negotiations emerge, Baydyuk insists Ukraine must not be pressured into a deal that leaves them vulnerable.

"There’s a long list of war crimes … we cannot neglect them, we cannot turn our back on them," Baydyuk said.

Meanwhile, Russia blames Ukraine and Western nations for prolonging the conflict, demanding security guarantees for Moscow in any peace deal. But Baydyuk and other Ukrainian supporters say Ukraine cannot simply accept a one-sided agreement.

"Russia must be accountable for all the war crimes they committed in Ukraine, including the abduction of children. Over 30,000 children have been abducted illegally," Baydyuk said.

President Trump “fully briefed” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on his recent call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that both nations agreed to what was described as “a partial ceasefire against energy.”


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