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The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 26 November 2022.

Dear attendees!

It is a great honor to have you here with us today

Ladies and Gentlemen!

I welcome you to our capital, the city of Kyiv, to this special event for us, which is dedicated to a special initiative and takes place on such a special day for our state, for Ukraine.

Every year, on the last Saturday in November, we honor the memory of millions of people. Millions of tortured and murdered Ukrainians. Women, men, elderly people. Millions of children. Millions of victims of famine. In 1921, 1922, 1923, 1946, 1947, and the darkest years – 1932-1933. Today is the 90th anniversary of the genocide committed against us by the totalitarian Stalinist regime. Different historians call different numbers of victims, but either way, all of them are shocking. From four to eight million perished Ukrainians.

We remember how it is when they want to destroy your people.

Almost every family has been affected in one way or another. Almost everyone among us has someone in the National Memory Book of victims. We remember the stories of those who managed to survive these horrors, truly vivid memories. How they take away everything. How you can be shot for a hidden bowl of grain or flour. How a large family shares a loaf of bread for a week. How it is a soup from two rotten potatoes to eat the whole day. How in the morning there is no strength to even live and open your eyes. How it is hard to fall asleep at night because you just want to eat. How exhausted people fall dead on the road. And others are too exhausted to take and bury their bodies. How whole families die, how streets wound up dead, how villages perish.

How in already independent Ukraine, even in the new millennium, our grandparents, who survived the Holodomor, treated food with respect. How carefully they gathered the crumbs that remained on the table after dinner into a handful. How they said: there were times in childhood when we dreamed of a piece of bread or a plate of borscht.

Such terrible memories. We know about it. We remember that. We have to! And we see what is happening today in the world, what is happening in Ukraine. They want to destroy us again with bombs, bullets, cold, and again with hunger.

On February 24, Russia started a full-scale war against our society, the people of Ukraine, against our state. The occupation and the blockade left thousands of people without food and water from the very beginning.

We will not allow millions of people in the world to be left without food and water. We remember how it used to be. Unfortunately, we know how it happens today. We won’t make it happen tomorrow. Neither here, nor in any country of the world on the entire planet.

Our flag is a blue sky and a golden wheat field. Our land has always given generous fruits. Our country has always shared these fruits with the whole world. Ukraine is traditionally one of the largest exporters of food to different countries of the world on different continents. Our wheat was highly valued in Africa and the Middle East. Dairy products, vegetables, fruits, corn – in Europe. Sunflower oil was on shelves all over the world.

This year, unfortunately, is different. Russian troops surrounded Ukrainian ports. They blocked the export of our food. They put the world on the brink of starvation. They provoked a food crisis. The rapid increase in the price of products undermines the economic security of ordinary people, the well-being of millions of families, domestic stability and regional security. Mass protests due to rising food, fertilizer, and fuel prices threaten many countries and societies.

We must prevent the further spread of this crisis and this global challenge.

Ukraine, as one of the guarantors of global food security, will continue making its key contribution. Despite the war. Despite any challenges. Despite the obstacles. Despite the attempt to destroy us. Ukraine will fulfill its export obligations regarding the supply of grain and other foodstuffs to the global market. Ukraine is a fighter for life, its own and that of other peoples. Life without slavery and hunger.

The first practical proof of this was the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The export of Ukrainian food was unblocked. To date, almost 500 vessels have left our ports. This is 12 million tonnes of foodstuffs for 40 countries of the world. And for all societies, because when we talk about continents and states, first of all, we are talking about people. In particular, those suffering from the food crisis, who found themselves on the brink of this challenge – on the brink of starvation.

However, the Grain Initiative, unfortunately, still operates not at its full capacity. Russia is trying to delay the movement of vessels. There are more than 80 ships in line in the Bosphorus. We advocate an increase in the number of ports and the indefinite continuation of this important initiative. So that Russia does not block it again. Again and again.

At the same time, it is obvious that today even the full functioning of the grain corridor is insufficient to meet food needs. Especially of those countries that are in acute danger of hunger. To overcome this and food threats in general, Ukraine has organized this event. This is the first such event – the International Summit on Food Security. Here I want to announce and tell you about our new international initiative, supported by you, colleagues, and we are very grateful to you – Grain from Ukraine. Within its framework, Ukrainian food will be sent to countries in Africa and Asia.

Our goal is ambitious and specific – to save at least 5 million people from hunger. On this path, Ukraine has already taken the first steps – sent the first ships. In the middle of November – 27,000 tonnes of wheat for Ethiopia. Another vessel is being loaded today. And this is another 30,000 tonnes of wheat for people in Ethiopia. Three more vessels are currently going to the ports of Ukraine for loading. They will deliver more than 80,000 tonnes of food wheat to the countries that need it the most.

In general, under the Grain From Ukraine program, by the end of next spring, we plan to send at least 60 vessels from our ports – at least ten per month – to countries at risk of famine and drought. This is Ethiopia, these are Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Congo, Kenya, Nigeria. All of them are in dire need of help. Imagine – just one ship with grain provides food for 90,000 people. Sixty such ships will be able to prevent the starvation of at least 5 million inhabitants of the world.

We invite other states and socially responsible businesses to this humanitarian initiative, humanitarian program. And I am happy to announce today that on the day of its launch, 20 countries joined Grain From Ukraine and there will be more.

And I am glad that today we all gathered together in Kyiv. Some are offline, some are online. But in this format, today the participants of the International Summit on Food Security are President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, President of France Emmanuel Macron, and Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz. Prime Ministers of Poland, Lithuania, Romania, and Belgium: Mateusz Morawiecki, Ingrida Šimonytė, Nicolae Ciucă, Alexander De Croo. President of Hungary Katalin Novák. UN Secretary General Mr. Guterres. Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte. Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson and Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković. Presidents of Finland, Latvia, Estonia, Slovenia, Bulgaria. Secretary General of NATO. High-ranking officials of the UK, the Czech Republic, Italy, Austria, Spain, Qatar, and Canada. The United States Agency for International Development, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the World Food Programme in Ukraine, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. I believe that the mix is strong enough for the first such initiative. I want to thank you all.

Based on the results of the summit, we will issue a Joint Statement. It will remain open for accession by interested parties. However, we welcome not only joining it but also any other format of participation in this program. Because its goal is our common goal – to prevent hunger in the world. The future of humanity depends on the readiness to respond effectively to the challenges of today. And one of the most important tasks is to have effective mechanisms – and this is one such mechanism, which is effective and functional – to guarantee food security.

Today, I want to suggest that a new international institution has been created as a continuation of this initiative. An institution that will be a new, efficient and effective tool to prevent global threats and rapidly respond to them. All threats: food, humanitarian, security. With headquarters in Kyiv or Odesa, from where a ship will soon depart within the Grain From Ukraine program.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Amid ongoing Russian aggression, it is no less important to recognize the Holodomor of 1932–1933 as an act of genocide against the Ukrainian people. This has already been done by the United States, Canada, Australia, Poland – in total, by our friends from 17 countries. In 2022 it was Brazil and the Czech Republic. The day before, I called on the states and international organizations that have not yet done so to do this. On November 23, Romania approved the relevant decision. We are grateful. On November 24 it was Ireland. On November 25 – Moldova. I invite others to join this important historical truth. This will be a strong manifestation of solidarity with Ukraine in these extremely difficult times for us.

In addition, there is something that can be done today. All of Ukraine will hold a national minute of silence today. We will light a memorial candle in our windows. We invite all other countries and nations to join us.

At 16:00 Kyiv time. At 15:00 CET. When it will be 2:00 p.m. in London, it will be 9:00 a.m. in New York and Toronto, 7:30 p.m. in New Delhi, 10:00 p.m. in Beijing, 11:00 p.m. in Tokyo and Seoul, and 1:00 a.m. in Sydney. As proof that we all do not forget, we all remember the past and are ready to build a different, just future together. The human future, at any time of the day or night.

Finally, I invite everyone to Ukraine in a year – for our next second summit – the International Summit on Food Security and our Grain From Ukraine initiative. To evaluate joint efforts. To outline further plans. I am sure, we will be able to achieve results and overcome all threats only united, only together. We can win only together. Ukraine and the civilized world without war, without terrorism, without hunger.

Thank you very much!

Glory to Ukraine!

The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 25 November 2022.

Dear friends!

Dear colleagues!

Dear Gitanas, thank you for the invitation to take part in this discussion in Kaunas.

This year we all saw a very important thing.

It’s like any athlete that can become champion only when participating in the competition.

Like any judge that can convince everyone of his unbiased work and wisdom when the case hearing has started.

Any teacher sees for himself what he is worth when students return to him years after and it is clearly seen in their eyes and life circumstances whether they have perceived what they have been taught.

This year we saw Europe we’ve all been striving for. Europe we’ve been building for decades and dreaming of for much longer.

We saw Europe in action. We saw Europe not only in its striving for justice, but also in the protection of justice. We saw Europe not only manifesting certain values, but also capable of winning on the basis of its values.

We saw a united Europe not only as a goal or a set of agreements at the political level, but also as the results being achieved here and now.

Europe has made conclusions from its historical mistakes made by previous generations. European nations no longer leave each other alone when tyranny starts an offensive. European leaders defend what unites all of us much more fiercely than what coincides with certain personal ideological views. European states achieve things that seemed fantasies ten years ago.

This year the frontline in Ukraine has become the line of struggle of Europe for itself. 274 days have passed and it is obvious that the anti-European aggression of Russia will fail, and European freedom will be guaranteed.

Russia still resorts to various forms of terror so far. Russia still has enough missiles and artillery to kill people everyday and provoke new difficulties for Ukraine and the whole of Europe.

But what Russian imperialism has always bet on and what has ultimately caused Europe’s defeat isn’t and won’t be the case. There is no split between Europeans. And maintaining such reality in Europe is our common task #1.

This year Europe finally carries out energy disarmament of Russia. The continent’s dependence on Russian energy resources has started to reduce. And it must vanish completely. And one of the key instruments for that is to limit Russian profit from exports of its resources.

The introduction of price caps, i.e. forcible price restriction for Russian oil, has already become the topic of discussion in Europe and the world. And there are allegedly discussions about the level of 60 or 70 U.S. dollars.

No doubt, such words are just sandbagging. They’re rather an attempt to imitate something than to do something.

And I am grateful to our Polish and Baltic colleagues for their quite relevant proposals. Limiting the price at the level of up to 30 U.S. dollars per barrel seems a more feasible proposal. And I am grateful that such a proposal has been put forward and is being advocated. Now is the time to ensure this achievement of Europe as well.

And on the basis of this and other similar achievements, none of the potential enemies of Europe will ever be able to blackmail our continent with energy weapons.

The energy security of Europe, and therefore the price security, will now be based first of all on cooperation and solidarity between Europeans, and on European energy rules.

We also have one more result, which is definitely important.

Dear friends!

This year we have eliminated the gray zone on the EU borders, which Ukraine has been staying in for decades.

Our state has become a candidate for EU membership and implements this perspective. Hence, we are finally eliminating the strategic uncertainty, which has been the source of instability for the whole continent and instigated Russia’s revanchism.

And we must begin our accession negotiations just as quickly as we’ve gained the candidate status.

When Ukraine’s fate is determined, the fate of the whole center and east of Europe is determined. Ukraine is and will be free, Ukraine is and will be democratic, Ukraine is and will be strong. Ukraine exists and will exist. Hence, Europe exists and will exist.

So when we guarantee a long-standing security for Ukraine, we guarantee the same security for the whole continent.

That is why, on the basis of what we have already managed to achieve, we must do one more thing.

A very practical one.

I have no doubt that eventually we will implement the Ukraine Peace Formula, stop the Russian aggression, and dismantle the threats it has brought to Ukraine, Europe and the world.

But we must already show our vitality, the energetic nature of Europe.

Just as the front line in Ukraine became the line of Europe’s struggle for itself, the reconstruction of Ukraine must become for Europe a reconstruction of itself.

This is the largest economic and humanitarian project of our generations. The greatest opportunities for the economic development of European countries. The biggest opportunities for European companies and the biggest boost for European production.

Hence, this is the biggest potential for our social development.

The implementation of this project has already begun.

When we rebuild energy sphere to withstand Russian terror, it is rebuilding Europe. When we rebuild our infrastructure, social facilities, and housing to provide for Ukrainians, we give the whole of Europe an incentive to work for itself together with us. When we look for and find new logistics, production and trade opportunities for Ukraine, we look for and find them for everyone who cooperates with us.

We do it as equals. We do this for our common interests. And that’s how we must overcome the key challenge facing us now in order to strengthen us all.

We must endure this winter – winter everyone will remember.

We must do everything to remember not what it has threatened us with, but what we’ve managed to do to protect ourselves from this threat.

And that is why we need to clearly understand the idea of Europe. A united Europe – it is very important.

I often hear the same question – how Europe can help Ukraine .

Of course, we are grateful for that, but is the question formed correctly?

Europe can help itself. It’s not about helping Ukraine stand up to Russia, it’s about Europe being able to help itself stand up to Russia.

It is not only in Ukraine that millions of people are without light and heat because of Russian terror. It is on the eastern flank of Europe that millions of Europeans are without light and heat due to Russian terror.

It is not only Ukraine that Russia wants to break, it is Europe that Russia wants to break.

We are all parts of one whole. What was a dream. What started with politics. What has become our life – a united Europe.

This is the key idea.

There is no Ukraine separate from Europe, just as there is no Poland or Lithuania or Romania or Latvia or Germany or France separate from Europe. This is our continent. This is our life.

And this is our path that we can endure. Just as this winter and this war. All Europeans together.

I thank you for your attention!

Thank you for your continued support!

Glory to Ukraine!

The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 24 November 2022.

Dear Madam President,

Dear Speakers of the Sejm and Senate of Poland,

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Thank you for the opportunity to address you.

Today is exactly 9 months from the day when Russia started a criminal and unprovoked full-scale war against Ukraine.

Our country is showing unprecedented bravery by destroying the army of the occupier, who was bragging that he was allegedly the second most powerful in the world.

Most of the countries of the world are showing strong solidarity, helping us free our land from occupation and protecting our people from Russia’s genocidal policy.

We see various international platforms finding the necessary solutions to help stop Russian terror, isolate the terrorist state as much as possible, and find a way out of the brutal global crises created by Russia.

But why is there still no OSCE among these platforms? Why, in particular, is a terrorist state even after 9 months of its continuous crimes still a member of your Parliamentary Assembly?

If it was not for the Polish decision regarding visas for the Russian delegation, for which I am grateful to Poland, grateful to the representatives of the Polish Sejm, the government, and also the President, so if it was not for this, the representatives of the terrorist state could be among you today. This fact is an open mockery of all the principles on the basis of which the OSCE was created.

Russia uses massive missile strikes against peaceful cities. It is trying to leave millions of people without electricity, communication, heat and water. It is trying to turn millions of Ukrainians into refugees who would seek refuge in other countries – in your countries. Every day and every night for nine months, Russia has been shelling the cities it can reach with artillery and MLRS…

And you all know very well that the current owners of Russia would like to do the same thing they are doing with Ukraine with other neighboring countries, too. They would love to if they could.

If Ukraine had not stopped their aggressive ambitions. If the world had not shown solidarity.

But the world was not looking for a meaningless compromise – all minus one – to fight Russian terror. So why should you be looking for that kind of compromise here? If obsolete regulations are designed to protect only false ideas about security and cooperation in Europe and do not really protect life and people, one cannot remain hostage to such procedures and regulations. Determination is required to change them.

I urge you not to wait for winter, spring or summer to finally remove even the hypothetical possibility for supporters of terror to participate in any activity of your parliamentary assembly.

I urge you to do everything you can to ensure that the OSCE is among those who are truly able to stop terror and help bring Russian murderers and torturers to justice. If you can act effectively at the level of your national parliaments, then the parliamentary assemblies must be able to act too – and not only at the level of verbal condemnations.

Russia’s war against Ukraine is a test for any international organization. Is it relevant or not? Is it capable of anything other than texts about what is happening, or not? Is it present among those who bring peace, or does it only care about how to preserve itself in its offices and halls?

Russia does not read letters about peace and does not listen to statements about the Helsinki principles. Russia does not consider the presence of any Council in Europe as a value. Russia does not respect the Red Cross and will not obey just because some organization has been working for over a hundred years.

You have to be where the greatest danger is, if your calling is to take care of safety. It is necessary to make effective decisions that have legal consequences for the enemies of a united Europe, if your task is to protect Europe. You have to fight for every person where a person is in the worst danger, you have to fight for access to such people, to really save them, if your task is to protect people.

We see in Ukraine who really helps, and who perceives Russian terror as part of the television picture. We see who is trying for the sake of peace to break everything that stands in the way, and who is pretending that this is some kind of online genocide – watching and waiting for Russia to stop on its own at some point or for someone to somehow press the “pause” button. We see who shows humanity saving people, and who quietly thinks that Ukrainians can simply be sacrificed.

We see it all. The world sees it. And there will definitely be conclusions.

Conclusions about specific leaders who were afraid of true leadership. Conclusions regarding specific international organizations that opposed themselves to the movement of history. Conclusions about specific countries, which, unfortunately, were shackled by fear. Right now, and precisely on the basis of actions or lack of actions during the Russian terrorist war, the fate of many in the world is being determined.

And I urge you to do everything possible so that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe becomes a co-creator of the victory over Russian terror, and therefore a co-creator of peace on our continent.

I am grateful for the principled Presidency of the Assembly and for the conscientious work in the committees and at the level of national delegations – for all that serves to protect our values and helps isolate Russia for terror. And I urge to extend this principledness and conscientiousness to the procedural architecture of the Assembly and to the OSCE in general. The time has come for this reform!

And, of course, in order to finally stop counting months of war and start counting the years of peace, it is necessary to use all national and international opportunities to put pressure on the terrorist state. Be leaders in this – and you will be leaders of the movement towards peace.

Thank you for your attention!

Thank you to everyone for supporting Ukraine!

I believe that we will restore peace!

Glory to Ukraine!

The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 24 November 2022.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen!

We expect a strong reaction from the world to today’s Russian terror. We expect the reaction of partners. We expect the reaction of friends – not just observers. We expect the reaction of all those who really recognize the UN Charter.

We are doing everything possible. Ukraine presented the Peace Formula. The world heard it.

10 points – how to restore the full power of the UN Charter violated by Russia, and guarantee the safety of Ukraine, the safety of Europe and all the peoples of the planet who suffer from the consequences of Russian aggression.

In response to our Peace Formula, Russia is following the steps of its formula of terror.

The very next day after I proposed the Ukrainian Peace Formula at the G19 summit in Indonesia, we received ten Russian missiles per each point of the Peace Formula.

The strikes continued.

We liberated Kherson – and as soon as the Russian army fled from there, it began to methodically destroy this city. Strikes every day.

This night – another missile attack on the Zaporizhzhia region, on the hospital – on the buildings where the maternity ward was located. Russian terrorists took the life of a baby – the child was 2 days old when it was killed by a Russian missile!

And then again – dead, dead, dozens of wounded. In the city of Vyshhorod this afternoon, a residential building was hit, 35 people were injured, 4 were killed.

This is one of the main points of the Russian formula of terror – missiles.

Only today – almost 70 missiles. Against our energy infrastructure.

Unfortunately, a residential building was also hit.

Hospitals, schools, transport, residential areas – everything was affected.

Russian terror led to a blackout – and not only in Ukraine. The light also went out in neighboring Moldova.

But the understanding of what Russia wants to achieve with such strikes should not disappear anywhere in the world.

Energy terror is an analogue of the use of weapons of mass destruction.

When the temperature is below zero outside, and tens of millions of people are left without electricity, heat and water as a result of Russian missiles hitting energy facilities, this is an obvious crime against humanity.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Among you are representatives of a state that offers nothing to the world except terror, destabilization and disinformation. Any Russian formulas do not provide for anything else.

And that’s why I emphasize once again – it’s time to support the Ukrainian Peace Formula!

There must be no opportunity left for terror in the world!

That is why we are turning to our partners for support to protect our skies. We need modern and effective air defense and missile defense systems, and I thank everyone who is already helping.

What can a representative of a terrorist state tell you now? That civilians do not suffer from their missiles? Everything is obvious. It’s all too obvious.

And I urge you to take concrete steps to protect humanity and life!

Russia has long been trying to turn the UN Security Council into a platform for rhetoric. But the Security Council was created as the world’s most powerful platform for decisions and actions. This is what we can demonstrate.

The Security Council should provide a clear assessment of the actions of the terrorist state in accordance with Chapter Seven of the UN Charter. Ukraine proposes that the Security Council adopt such a resolution condemning any forms of energy terror.

Let’s see if anyone in the world will be able to say, along with Russia, that terror against civilians is supposedly a good thing.

I confirm the invitation from Ukraine regarding the mission of UN experts to critical infrastructure facilities of our country that have been or may be hit by Russian missiles.

It is necessary to give a proper assessment of damage and destruction. It should be stated that these are strikes against the very infrastructure that ensures the lives of tens of millions of people.

And finally, justice must be restored within the UN structures themselves.

The terrorist state should not participate in any voting on the issues of its aggression, its terror.

It is a stalemate when the one who caused the war, the one responsible for the terror, blocks any attempt by the UN Security Council to fulfill its mandate.

This is nonsense that the veto right is reserved for the one who is waging a criminal war.

It is necessary to lead the world out of this impasse.

It is absolutely possible.

The world should not be held hostage by one international terrorist.

Russia is doing everything to make the electric generator a more powerful and necessary tool than the UN Charter. We must and can return real meaning to all things – and above all to the UN Charter.

Your decisions are needed!

Thank you for the opportunity!

Thank you for your attention!

Glory to Ukraine!