On January 30, 2024, the Ambassador of Ukraine Andrii Taran took part in the presentation of the Slovenian edition of the book "Empire" by Polish author Ryszard Kapuściński. The event was also attended by the famous Slovenian journalist and publicist Branko Soban and translator of the book Niko Jež.

During the event, the Ambassador of Ukraine drew the attention of the audience to russia's neo-imperial and anti-Ukrainian policy, which has been going on for centuries.

The ambassador noted that this policy is implemented through murders, torture, and sexual violence committed against those who identify themselves as Ukrainians, as well as through shelling of critical infrastructure, deportation of children, and their forced re-education.

"This is nothing else as a program of the genocide of the Ukrainian nation by the russian federation" the Ambassador noted.

In his speech, the Ambassador of Ukraine noted that the publication of this book in Slovenia is very timely, because "empires that have already fallen apart tend to be restored."

The Ambassador of Ukraine reminded his Slovenian friends about the importance of continued assistance to Ukraine and emphasized that "democratic countries have no right to allow the world to see the disgusting face of russian imperialism again."