Category: Attack on Ukraine

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 8 April 2022.

Ukrainians!

The 44th day of our defense against the Russian invasion is coming to an end. The 44th dark day. Russian troops launched a missile attack on the Kramatorsk railway station this morning. 38 people died on the spot. Another 12 people died in hospitals during the day. We lost five children. Dozens more heavily wounded remain in hospital.

This is another war crime of Russia, for which everyone involved will be held accountable.

Russian state propagandists were in such a hurry to shift responsibility for the attack to Ukrainian forces that they accidentally blamed Russia.

RIA Novosti reported that the strike on Kramatorsk had been inflicted when the missiles were still in the air. The day before, other Russian propagandists were spreading threats to all those who escaped from Donbas by rail.

All the world’s leading powers have already condemned Russia’s attack on Kramatorsk. We expect a firm, global response to this war crime.

Like the massacre in Bucha, like many other Russian war crimes, the missile strike on Kramatorsk must be one of the charges at the tribunal, which is bound to happen.

All the efforts of the world will be aimed to establish every minute: who did what, who gave orders. Where did the rocket come from, who was carrying it, who gave the order and how the strike was coordinated. Responsibility is inevitable.

I spoke about this today with representatives of the European Union who arrived in Kyiv. With President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell.

During the day, they visited Bucha and witnessed the consequences of the occupation. They saw how many people were killed by the Russian military. I appreciate the EU’s readiness to provide the necessary financial and technical assistance to document and investigate Russian crimes. I am grateful to the President of the European Commission for her personal involvement and assistance in setting up a joint investigation team to establish the full truth about the actions of the Russian occupiers and bring all those responsible to justice.

I am also grateful for the financial support – one billion euros for weapons. Plus today we agreed on another 500 million euros for defense needs.

I held negotiations with the Prime Minister of Slovakia and thanked for the unprecedented defensive and other support. For the warmth of Slovak hearts towards Ukrainian men and women.

We also talked with EU officials about further steps to force Russia to seek peace. I emphasized that the existing sanctions are not enough. The pressure on Russia must be increased.

It is necessary to introduce a full energy embargo – on oil, on gas. It is energy exports that provide the lion’s share of Russia’s profits and allow the Russian leadership to believe in its impunity. This allows Russia to hope that the world will ignore the war crimes of its army. We will not allow this. Everyone in the world who has the courage, like Ukrainians, to resist tyranny will not allow this.

Russian banks must also be completely disconnected from the global financial system. Not some of them, but all, the entire banking system of Russia. It is inadmissible that the greatest threat to global security is finding its way to global wealth.

In this context, I also evaluate the new announced package of sanctions against Russia.

I believe the softness with which some in the West still treat the Russian state is wrong. We know who is constantly trying to soften sanctions proposals. And we will do our best to finally make Europe understand: in any case, you will have to impose really principled and really strong sanctions against Russia. And not some partial restriction of Russian energy exports. Not some partial restriction of Russian navigation. We know everyone who delays the decisions. But I am confident that both these politicians and these countries will change their position under the pressure of all that Russia is doing against Ukrainians and against freedom in Europe.

I addressed the Parliament and the people of Finland today. I called on Finnish politicians to do everything possible to help Ukraine. I also reminded that the best way to stop tyranny and protect freedom is to provide Ukraine with the necessary weapons. The weapons we have repeatedly asked for from the West. The weapons that are available there. I will continue to fight every day, literally every hour, to get everything our state needs.

Russia’s war against our people may end in victory of freedom much sooner than many in the world think if Ukraine simply receives the weapons the list of which we have provided. Any delay in providing such weapons to Ukraine, any excuses can mean only one thing: the relevant politicians want to help the Russian leadership more than us Ukrainians.

No matter what, we will continue to protect our land and our people in any case.

Yes, not everyone in the world has found the courage we have. But we have powerful and principled partners and friends. Real friends who help Ukraine to really protect us. To really protect freedom in Europe. I am convinced that Ukraine’s victory is only a matter of time. And I will do my best to reduce this time.

By the way, we also talked today about the time needed for Ukraine’s full accession to the European Union.

Today we received a questionnaire from the European Commission. Finally. A questionnaire the answers to which will be the basis for preparing the conclusion of the European Commission on Ukraine’s readiness for EU membership negotiations.

Our Government will prepare answers qualitatively and very quickly. I think in a week. Next is the conclusion of the European Commission, which will be prepared in the next few months. And then there will be the decisions of the member states and the negotiations on accession.

I am convinced of our success on this path. I am convinced that we are finally close to realizing our long-standing goal. Ukraine will be one of the equals in our common European home. Ukraine will be a member of the European Union. A peaceful, sovereign, rebuilt state. We will provide it. There is no doubt.

We are also preparing for tomorrow’s mass event in Warsaw, which will take place within the initiative of President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau – Stand for Ukraine.

It is about the support for Ukrainians, for our migrants. All funds will be allocated for the support of Ukrainians.

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 7 April 2022.

Ukrainians!

The 43rd day of full-scale war is over. Russia’s war against Ukraine. A war that has revealed the whole truth about our country, about all other countries, about Russia and about the world in general. This war shows how much everyone did not want to notice in our country. In our people. How much the world believed in foreign propaganda and Russian myths about Ukraine, not in reality.

We have always been like that… We have always been brave. The bravest in the world. I am sure of that. Because who else would do what Ukrainians do? Who else had so much courage to constantly fight against any manifestations of tyranny and defend freedom? In every election, in revolutions and in war. Who else had the courage to fight against all Russian forces on land, in the air and at sea? Who else had the courage to go unarmed against Russian armored vehicles where the Russians temporarily managed to seize something? Who else had the courage to tell the world that hypocrisy is a bad weapon? And not just to tell, but to convince and restore honesty in the world. Who else had the courage to persuade the largest global companies to forget about accounting and recall morality? And to teach all political leaders – whatever they are – to be at least a little Ukrainian… At least a little brave.

In fact, this is our brand. This is what it means to be us. To be Ukrainians. To be brave.

If everyone in the world had at least ten percent of the courage that we Ukrainians have, there would be no danger to international law at all. There would be no danger to the freedom of the nations. We will spread our courage. We will start a special global campaign. We will teach the world to be not just a little bit, but full of courage. Like us, like Ukrainians.

There are certain results already. First of all, they are manifested in the current sanctions against the Russian Federation. But that’s the thing – the results are still “certain”. Not yet the ones needed to stop Russia. To stop the war.

Please note: this is not the first day that the media has been talking not about how sanctions against Russia actually work, but about why these sanctions are important. As if they are convincing themselves that they have introduced the right things, that there are enough restrictions.

But if the sanctions really worked one hundred percent, they would not have to explain in such detail why they are important.

Therefore, I emphasize once again: more sanctions are needed. Even bolder sanctions are needed.

Courage must be a criterion for evaluating decisions. Courage and practicality.

First of all, Ukraine needs weapons that will allow us to win on the battlefield. And this will be the strongest sanction against Russia of all possible ones.

We have good diplomatic news today. Russia is gradually losing even on those platforms that it considered quite comfortable for itself.

In particular, the UN General Assembly decided to suspend Russia’s membership in the Human Rights Council. It is quite logical. Quite rightly. But also not without fighting for this decision. I am grateful to those states that have supported this decision. Russia has had nothing to do with the concept of human rights for a long time already. Maybe someday that will change. But so far, the Russian state and the Russian military are the greatest threat on the planet to freedom, to human security, to the concept of human rights as such. After Bucha, this is already obvious.

And the work on dismantling the debris in Borodyanka began… It’s much worse there.

Even more victims of the Russian occupiers. And what will happen when the world learns the whole truth about what the Russian military did in Mariupol? There, on almost every street, is what the world saw in Bucha and other towns in the Kyiv region after the withdrawal of Russian troops. The same cruelty. The same heinous crimes.

More and more information is coming in that Russian propagandists are preparing, so to speak, a “mirror response” to the shock of all normal people from what they saw in Bucha. They are going to show the victims in Mariupol as if they were killed not by the Russian military, but by the Ukrainian defenders of the city. To do this, the occupiers collect corpses on the streets, take them out and can use them elsewhere in accordance with the elaborated propaganda scenarios.

We are dealing with invaders who have nothing human left. To justify their own killings, they take the murdered people simply as scenery, as propaganda props. And this is a separate war crime, for which each of the propagandists will be held accountable.

More and more countries around the world support the need for a full and transparent investigation of all war crimes of the Russian occupiers in Ukraine. Every murder case will be solved. Each of the torturers will be found. All those who committed rape or looting will be identified. Responsibility is inevitable.

Today I continued to address the parliaments and nations of neighboring countries, our partners, our friends. Today was Greece. Today was the Republic of Cyprus.

I thanked them for supporting Ukraine and joint European efforts to force Russia to seek peace. I urged to do more to stop the war. I urged Greece to use its influence as part of the European Union to save Mariupol. I urged Cyprus to take special measures against Russia. Such as the abolition of “golden passports” for Russians. As well as the blocking of yachts, the blocking of other Russian vessels in the waters of Cyprus.

I am planning an address to the Parliament and the people of Finland tomorrow.

I would like to note that diplomatic representatives of other states are returning to the capital together with Kyiv residents. The Turkish Embassy returned yesterday. The Ambassador of Lithuania returned today. Earlier, the Slovenian Embassy resumed its work in Kyiv.

I am sincerely grateful to the friends of Ukraine who support us exactly as we need it now, also at the level of symbols, at the level of diplomatic gestures.

This is also about courage.

And I look forward to the opportunity to have a meeting with everyone who is with us. With all who are brave. Come back. With all the diplomats who have returned to our capital and continue to work.

The presence of foreign diplomatic missions in Kyiv is a normal work of embassies, it is a clear signal to the aggressor that Kyiv is our capital. Not the provincial city of Russia, but the Ukrainian capital.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to do everything to repel the offensive of Russian troops in Donbas. The occupiers’ troops in this area are becoming more active and are being reinforced from Russia. We see it all. We analyze every step of the enemy. And we will provide an answer. A tough one.

And already a stable tradition: before delivering this address, I signed decrees to honor our bravest soldiers with state awards and the title of Hero of Ukraine.

344 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were awarded. Five more servicemen became Heroes of Ukraine today.

I am sincerely grateful for the service to each of our male defenders. I am sincerely grateful to each of our female defenders!

I am sincerely grateful for the courage of the Ukrainian people.

Glory to Ukraine!

The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 7 April 2022.

Dear Mr. Speaker!

Dear Mrs. President!

Dear Mr. Prime Minister!

Dear members of the Greek Parliament!

Greek people!

Kalimera!

For more than a month now, my every morning begins with Mariupol. With what is happening in this Ukrainian city, which Russian troops are simply destroying. This has never happened in the history of Europe in all the years after World War II that a city is destroyed to ashes, destroyed completely. That it is under blockade and its inhabitants are killed with starvation and thirst.

It was a city of half a million people! About a hundred thousand people still remain in it. But there are virtually no undamaged buildings, the vast majority of buildings in the city are completely destroyed.

The Russian military destroyed everything. They blew up hospitals, maternity hospitals and apartment buildings. They even blew up the city theater where civilians were hiding from bombs and next to which were inscriptions that everyone saw – the inscriptions “children”. The inscriptions seen by Russian pilots, which did not stop them from air strikes.

Mariupol is almost destroyed. I’m sure each of you has already seen what the city looks like now. After it was approached by the Russian Federation. Just ruins. This is what Russia has done with our peaceful Mariupol. But also with your peaceful Mariupol. This city has always been home to a large Greek community. The Ukrainian Greek community is one of the largest in the world. For centuries, our people have lived side by side, raised children and built the future.

The ties between Ukraine and Greece are so old that it is now impossible to find their origin. Greek poleis on our Black Sea coast, cultural exchange and trade, community coexistence – all this is thousands of years of history. Greek Chersonesus was even depicted on our national currency – hryvnia.

It is with Greece that the development of Christianity is tied not only in our country, but also in our region in general. Ukraine is one of the largest Orthodox countries, and the light of Baptism was brought by the Greeks. If someone tried to snatch Greek roots from Ukrainian history and culture we would lose a fundamental part of ourselves.

In the same way the basic things of your history, your national self-perception are tied with the Ukrainian land. “Freedom or death!” – these words now reflect not only our struggle against Russia’s attempt to conquer Ukraine. This is a part of your identity that comes from our Odesa. Another southern city of Ukraine that Russia may try to destroy, as well as Mariupol.

When your foreign minister was in Odesa last week, the city was experiencing the consequences of Russian shelling, another missile attack. There are no gunshots in Odesa today. But why? Only because the Armed Forces of Ukraine are deterring Russian attacks and repelling barbaric Russian troops from their direction of attack on Odesa long-agreed by Russian leadership.

Russian troops have now brought death and destruction to where Ukrainians and Greeks have enjoyed peace and prosperity for centuries. Moreover, Russia has begun a new deportation of people from the south of Ukraine. At least tens of thousands of our people have already been deported to Russia and to the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia. These are residents of Mariupol and other cities and communities that came under attack by Russian troops.

This forced relocation of people by Russia is not the first one for both Greeks and Ukrainians. But the Russian state is carrying it out now as if deportation is not the last one. Russia is absolutely convinced of its impunity for everything it does.

We have to stop it! We must bring Russia to justice. We must save Odesa from the same destruction that Mariupol suffered. We must find everyone, all the people deported by Russia. We must save at least those in Mariupol who are still alive and who can be saved!

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Greek people!

Filiki Eteria, founded in our Odesa, has played a role in the history of your country, which cannot be overestimated. And I urge you now, openly, to create such a new union of friends, which will be able to save the Ukrainians and Greeks of the south of our state. Which will be able to help Mariupol.

The city needs humanitarian aid! The city needs its people – survivors and wounded – to be saved. Russia has been blocking Mariupol since the beginning of March, blocking on land and at sea. It does not allow even basic humanitarian cargo into the city. I am convinced that the strength of Greece can help carry out this mission. Days are numbered.

And now I ask you to listen not only to me. Regarding the fate of this city. Please listen to the two defenders of Mariupol who are now there, right there, and together with their colleagues are trying to stop the Russian offensive. Listen to two Ukrainians, but also two Greeks as well.

One of them is forced to wear a mask, not to show his face. Because his family, his parents are in one of the Russian-occupied towns. I hope you understand.

***

I am grateful to Greece for the humanitarian and defense support already provided to Ukraine. I am grateful for the support of the general sanctions policy of the democratic world. But the war continues. The destruction of Mariupol continues. You have heard these heroes. The deportation of people from the territories where Russian troops came continues.

I urge you to use the influence of your state and your opportunities, as a member of the European Union, to organize the rescue of Mariupol. I urge you to do more to make Russia seek peace and even give up its dreams of conquering Ukraine. Because this war that Russia has started against us is actually destroying everything that Ukrainians and Greeks have created together in a long time. What will be left after the Russian artillery and Russian bombs? I will tell you: they will destroy all our common history, our common heritage.

And we will not be comforted saying about Mariupol in the future: “These are new Thermopylae”. When the heroes died, stopping a large enemy army. Now we can save our heroes.

And we can also drive the enemy Russian army out of Ukrainian land. We can teach Russia and any other potential aggressors once and for all that whoever chooses war always loses. He who tries to deprive of independence and destroy the territorial integrity of states always loses. Anyone who blackmails Europe with an economic or energy crisis always loses.

Let’s be honest, Russia’s actions from the beginning were aimed not only at Ukraine, but at Europe as a whole. Russia is doing everything to keep Europeans without available energy. And to make energy poverty a new reality on the continent. Russia is doing everything to provoke an outbreak of inflation for many nations. Russia last year artificially created a deficit in the European gas market. And now it is doing everything to artificially create a deficit in the world food market.

It is a matter of honor for Europeans to respond to such a policy of the Russian Federation. As long as Russian troops block peaceful cities and deport people, no Russian bank has the right to make money from the world’s financial system. They all must be blocked! All, not just part.

As long as this pointless and brutal war continues, no Russian vessel has the right to enter the ports of the democratic world. Why help them? For them to earn even more money for missiles and bombs to destroy not only Mariupol, but also Odesa and other Ukrainian cities?

And first of all – no support for Russian tankers, these oil carriers, which provide Russia with a constant flow of money for the killings.

Ukraine needs weapons to force Russian troops to leave our country. In particular, air defense systems, artillery systems and shells, armored vehicles and other things that everyone in the West is well aware of. The sooner Ukraine receives this assistance, the more lives we will be able to save in Ukraine.

And one more thing. Historical. Our nations have always been and will always be closely bonded. I believe that we will be able to bring peace to our Ukrainian land. We will be able to bring to justice all those responsible for these war crimes against Ukrainians, against Greeks and against all other people who fell victim to the Russian military.

We will be able to rebuild Mariupol and all other Ukrainian communities where Ukrainians and Greeks will live just as peacefully and with respect for each other as it was before.

But I also believe that Ukraine and Greece will soon live on an equal footing in our common European home, the European Union. I believe in this! I know it!

We will win everyone! But only together!

Thank you for your support!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 7 April 2022.

Ukrainians!

Our defenders!

It seems that the attitude to the modern Russian state is finally changing in the world. After what the world saw in Bucha when Russian troops retreated.

Now the attitude to everyone in Russia will be simple: you support either the search for peace or unjustified massacre.

Killed Ukrainian men and women in Bucha, in Irpin, in other cities that Russian troops entered is the last argument. The last argument for every citizen of Russia to decide whether you are for war or for peace. If for war, then you will forever – until the end of your life – be outcasts and in the end you will lose everything. And if for peace, if you feel even a little bit of shame for what the Russian troops are doing in Ukraine, then now is a key moment for such citizens of Russia: you have to demand – exactly demand – an end to the war. It is better now, demanding peace, to lose something, to somehow face the Russian repressive machine than to be equated with the Nazis for the rest of your life. This applies not only to any public person in the Russian Federation, not only to businessmen, but also to ordinary citizens.

Nazism has no future. Mass killings have no future. Everyone in Russia who will not demand an end to this shameful war and the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine has no future.

It seems that the Russian leadership is really afraid that the anger of the world because of what they saw in Bucha would be repeated because of what they will see in other cities, from where we will definitely drive out the occupiers. We have information that the Russian troops have changed their tactics and are trying to remove the killed people from the streets and basements of the occupied territory. Killed Ukrainians. This is just an attempt to hide the evidence and nothing more.

But they will not succeed, because they killed a lot. Responsibility cannot be avoided.

We already know about thousands of missing people. We already know about thousands of people who could be either deported to Russia or killed. There are no other options for their fate.

The situation now is that thanks to an objective investigation, thanks to witnesses, thanks to satellite surveillance of events on earth, thanks to other tools that help establish the truth we will find out all the circumstances regarding the majority of our missing citizens. Regarding most of Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine.

If the world has started a debate about whether it is permissible to call what the Russian military did on the territory of Ukraine genocide, the search for truth can no longer be stopped. You can’t roll it back in any way. One can only quickly abandon further aggression against Ukraine and thus try to somehow reduce the damage to Russian statehood and to those who personally adopt key decisions in Russia.

If not, if nothing changes, then it is suicide. Suicide for anyone who chooses to continue the war.

Today, Western countries announced a new package of sanctions against the Russian Federation. New investments in Russia are blocked, restrictions are applied against several systemic banks in Russia, personal sanctions are added, as well as other restrictions. This package has a spectacular look. But this is not enough.

Still it can hardly be called commensurate with the evil that the world saw in Bucha. With the evil that continues in Mariupol, in the shelling of Kharkiv, in Russia’s attempt to launch a new global bloody offensive in Donbas…

We will continue to insist on a complete blockade of the Russian banking system from international finance. We will also continue to insist on one or another format of the democratic world’s refusal to buy Russian oil. It is the export of oil that is one of the foundations of Russia’s aggression. One of the foundations that allows the Russian leadership not to take seriously the negotiations on ending the war and on the liberation of Ukrainian territory.

Some politicians are still unable to decide how to limit the flow of dollars and euros to Russia from the oil trade, so as not to jeopardize their own economies. But that’s why people go into politics. To solve such problems, difficult tasks. To solve them quickly and in a principled fashion. If you are not capable, then you shouldn’t have started political activity.

The embargo on Russian oil supplies will be applied anyway. The format will be found. The only question is how many more Ukrainian men and women the Russian military will have time to kill, so that you, some politicians – and we know you, can borrow a little determination somewhere.

It is good that the United States Department of the Treasury has suspended Russia’s ability to use US bank accounts and related assets to pay its debt. It’s tangible. And I’m grateful for that. But much more needs to be done to stop the war.

If there is no really painful package of sanctions against Russia and if there is no supply of weapons we really need and have applied for many times, it will be considered by Russia as a permission. A permission to go further. A permission to attack. A permission to start a new bloody wave in Donbas.

It is still possible to prevent this. It is still possible to impose such sanctions, which Ukraine insists on, our people insist on. It is still possible to give us weapons that will really stop this aggression. The West can do it.

Just as it could have applied preventive sanctions last year to prevent this invasion. If the mistake is made again, if there is no preventive action again, it will be a historic mistake for the whole Western world.

I addressed the parliament and the people of Ireland today. This country was one of the first to come to our aid after February 24. And it is one of those who shows principled leadership in the European house to put effective and decisive pressure on Russia.

As a result of my address, we have good news: Ireland fully supports Ukraine’s accelerated accession to the European Union. And it will do everything to increase the pressure on Russia as much as necessary to end this war.

Tomorrow I will address the parliaments and nations of Greece and the Republic of Cyprus.

In the afternoon I held a meeting with members of the Cabinet of Ministers in Kyiv. The key issues are the implementation of the state budget and economic activity in our country. We must do everything possible to restore the work of domestic enterprises, trade activities, and revive small and medium-sized enterprises throughout our territory where it is safe and possible to work.

The economy is also a frontline on which we fight for our freedom, for our state, for our people. Therefore, we need to constantly look for ways to adapt to the circumstances. Now we need to be as creative and bold as possible in solving economic issues. It depends not only on government officials and the central government in general. In general, it also depends on all leaders at the local level, on the political and business communities.

We must all find the necessary ideas, the necessary solutions to stabilize the country’s economy together. If we need to relocate businesses from certain areas, we have to do it. If we need to update legislation and give businesses more room for development, MPs must do so quickly. If we need to create special conditions for the return of people, and the security situation in a particular area allows, every leader at any level must make every effort and do everything possible to return people to such safe areas.

Today, the 42nd day of the Russian invasion has come to an end. This is not too much for military history. But for the life of a particular person – it is tangible. Right now, many of our people who left their cities, their communities after the invasion of Russia may wonder: what next? And where next? In particular, Ukrainians abroad. In particular, Kyivans and residents of other cities in the north and center of our state who moved to the western regions.

And I call on all community leaders in areas where there is no threat of direct confrontation with the enemy on the ground to do everything possible for people to return, for people to work, for economic processes to restart. To restore normal life as much as security allows.

This applies to the entire horizontal of local government – mayors, deputies of city and regional councils. Look for solutions for every district, for every region! Together with the government, together with us, with the Office of the President, together with the deputies of the Verkhovna Rada. A working economy is just as important as our brave, strong army.

The Russian occupiers continue to accumulate fighting force to realize their ill ambitions in Donbas. They are preparing to resume an active offensive.

We are preparing for a further reduction of Russia’s military potential. Manpower and equipment. We will fight and we will not retreat. We will look for all possible options to defend ourselves until Russia begins to seriously seek peace.

This is our land. This is our future. And we will not give them up.

I never tire of thanking each of our defenders everyday – all our Armed Forces, intelligence, special services, the National Police, everyone who allows us to hope and believe in victory. Allows us to count on peace.

Sincere gratitude! Sincere respect!

And before delivering this evening’s address, I traditionally signed decrees on awarding our heroes. 168 servicemen of the Armed Forces. And 3 servicemen from the Main Directorate of Intelligence.

Eternal glory to everyone who defends Ukraine!

Eternal memory to everyone who gave life for our state!

Glory to Ukraine!

The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, to the Irish Parliament on 6 April 2022.

Dear speakers!

The Taoiseach and members of the government!

Dear members of the Oireachtas!

Dear people of Ireland!

Tonight Russian missiles again struck the territory of our state. Foully hitting the ordinary civilian infrastructure. In particular, the new depot with fuel. One of the dozens that Russia sees as a target. And this has already become the trademark of the occupiers – to destroy everything that helps to arrange ordinary life of ordinary people. They consistently destroy fuel storage sites, product distribution centers, destroy even conventional agricultural machinery, and mine fields. They are constantly sowing mines everywhere. In every place they are leaving.

In addition, Russia has blocked all our seaports, along with those vessels that have already been loaded with agricultural goods for export.

Why are they doing this?

Because they also consider hunger as their weapon. Weapon against us, ordinary people. As a tool to dominate.

Ukraine is one of the leading countries in the global food market. Without our exports, it is not simply a shortage, but a threat of famine for more than a dozen countries in Africa and Asia. Because there will be not enough volumes of commodities and prices will hike. It’s a fact.

It will be harder for millions of the poor in North Africa and parts of Asia to feed their families.

Now, it is the time of the planting season in Ukraine. To foil our planting season, to destroy our infrastructure is to deliberately provoke a food crisis. And what will happen due to this crisis? At least, it will be political turbulence. At most, there will be outbreaks of violence in regions where instability is becoming traditional, and a new mass influx of refugees who are simply looking for ways to survive will be seen.

Russia has been using hunger against our people since the first days of the war. The worst is in Mariupol. This half-million city was completely blocked by Russian troops more than a month ago. They blocked access from both land and sea. Any access.

They are blocking humanitarian goods, do not allow to bring anything – food, water, medicine. When there was snow, people could melt at least the snow to get water, but now there is none.

Round-the-clock shelling, air raids, bombing continue… There is not a single building left in Mariupol, not a single undamaged building. In the city with the population of half a million – none.

The dead and killed were buried in the yards of destroyed high-rise buildings. When they were able to do it. But in many cases it was not possible to bury. The bodies of people remained in the streets, in the ruins of houses, in collapsed basements.

We do not know how many Mariupol residents have been killed by Russia. But we know for sure that this was part of the general tactics of the occupiers. They did the same or tried to do the same with Chernihiv, Sumy, Okhtyrka, Kharkiv, Izium, Volnovakha and many other Ukrainian cities. You may not have heard all these names yet. But these are millions of people that Russia was simply trying to destroy. And continues to do so.

When you hear this, it may seem impossible. It may seem that no one in today’s world would dare to do so. But these are real facts.

The fact that the residents of Mariupol drew on the sheets of school notebooks how to find where the bodies of their loved ones are buried in the city yards. The fact that the Russian occupiers shot people on the roads as they tried to escape from the blocked cities. Hundreds of cars hit by shelling are still left on Ukrainian highways.

The fact that the Russian military did not even try to remove the bodies of killed people from the streets. While Bucha, Irpin and other our cities were under occupation, the corpses were laying just on the roads, on the roadsides, in the yards of houses – anywhere…

The fact that at least 167 children have been killed in 42 days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. We do not yet know all the victims of Mariupol. We do not know the victims of other cities, areas where hostilities or occupation continue.

The fact that 927 educational institutions and 285 hospitals have been destroyed or damaged in the shelling by Russia. Even 73 ambulances have come under the occupiers’ fire!

They bombed and shelled even churches… Even shelters, which they knew for sure that there was no one there but women and children… And that’s a fact.

A state that does this does not deserve to be among others in the international community.

Russia does not deserve relations with it as with one of the normal states. It must be responsible for everything it has done on Ukrainian land.

The Russian military came to Ukraine as an army of colonizers. Their state propagandists, their politicians don’t even hide what they want anymore.

In the 21st century, they see their state as a colonial empire that allegedly has the right to subjugate neighbouring nations and destroy any basis for their independent living. Destroy even the very identity of nations. Everything that makes us Ukrainians…

The Russian military purposefully searched for and killed teachers in the occupied territories. Everyone who was associated with the army. They kidnap local government officials and kill community leaders. Along with the Russian army, units to suppress any political resistance immediately they entered our territory were created…

Now, when there are discussions about sanctions against the Russian Federation, I just can’t hear any doubts, I can’t see any indecision…

After everything we have experienced in Ukraine. After all that the Russian troops did. Even now, when the world already knows everything about Russia’s war crimes against our people, we have to persuade even some European companies to leave the Russian market. We still have to convince Western politicians in some countries that we need to stop any connection between Russian banks and the global financial system. Unfortunately, we still have to convince Europe that it is impossible that Russian oil provides the Russian military machine with a generous flow of money.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Irish people!

From the first days of the Russian invasion, you are on the side of good. On the side of freedom. On the side of Ukraine. And this is also a fact. You have no doubt whether to help us. You started doing it right away. And although you are a neutral country, you have not remained neutral to the grief and suffering that Russia has brought to Ukrainians. I am grateful to all of you for that. I am grateful to the leadership of your country, to every Irish man and woman. I am grateful for the support of sanctions against Russia. I am grateful for the humanitarian and financial support provided to us.

Thank you for taking special care of our people who have sought and found safety in your land. Just think about it: Russia has already left homeless 10 million Ukrainians who were forced to flee their hometowns because of this war … It is simply impossible to accept!

But let us be aware that Russia has not yet given up on its plans. It is still continuing offensive operations in Ukraine. It is still looking for ways to conquer all our Ukrainian people.

We must do everything together so that Russia forced to seek only peace. It seek only way to leave the territory of Ukraine and give us in peace.

That is why I urge you to show even more leadership in our anti-war coalition!

I urge you to persuade your EU partners to toughen sanctions against the Russian Federation. The sanctions that will really stop Russia’s military machine.

We need to stop all trade with Russia. Russia’s banks’ ties with the world’s financial system must be blocked. We need to cut off the flow of money that the Russian budget receives for oil and spends it on missiles, bombs, artillery shelling…

The world has long developed appropriate mechanisms. Everyone knows what to do.

The only obstacle is the lack of principled stance of individual leaders. Yet. Political leaders, business leaders. Those who still think that war and war crimes are not as terrible as financial losses.

I’m sure your leadership can change that.

I am confident that all of us in Europe together will be able to end this terrible war and restore peace and stability in Eastern Europe. It is simply impossible to procrastinate with this. The longer the Russian aggression lasts, the worse the consequences will be not only for our continent, but also for the neighbouring regions of our planet.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Irish people!

Our common principles, our common fearlessness have already started a new page in the history of relations between Ukraine and Ireland. Our mutual understanding and respect is at the level where we can say: it is only a matter of time before you and we live together in our common European home. I am grateful to you for supporting the special fast-track procedure for granting Ukraine membership in the European Union. With your leadership, it will be even faster and more profitable for both our nations.

And now we need to think about the restoration of our country. About recovery after the war. We invite the leading countries of the planet to take part in the reconstruction of Ukraine. Of course, I invite Ireland to take part in this project. I do it with pleasure.

For example, in our Kherson region. Your ability to value life and people, your ability to live in communities, your economic potential – they are well-known. So let’s join forces and show that Ukraine and Ireland together can do much more than the world’s largest state planned to destroy.

Grateful to Ireland!

Glory to Ukraine!