Tag: 2022

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 23 September 2022.

Ukrainians!

Today, the events in New York in the framework of our state’s participation in the session of the UN General Assembly are coming to an end.

It was a productive week for Ukraine. Many different activities – with my participation, with the participation of the First Lady of Ukraine, with the participation of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Ukraine has shown that not only the truth, but also strength, initiative and confidence in victory are on our side. The world is always sensitive to such things. Who is really strong, and who pretends to be strong. Who really feels his strength, and who tries his best to conceal weakness and insecurity.

At the General Assembly, Ukraine proposed a formula of peace, its way to the stabilization of international relations. And it was definitely heard by the world. The reaction to my speech at the General Assembly was really positive.

Different countries equally wanted to hear specifics. Specifics on how to restore peace, how to end this war. Ukraine presented its vision. Clear, logical, fair and realistic.

Five points. The first: punishment for the aggressor. The second: protection of life, that is, all the necessary assistance to our state in defense. The third point: restoration of security and territorial integrity. The fourth point: security guarantees. And the fifth: the determination to achieve all this together with us – the determination of the world majority.

And what did Russia present? Once again, lame excuses, complaints and constant lying propaganda, which the world has got tired of long ago, but Russian representatives still repeat it. A striking contrast with us.

I am grateful to all the heads of state, all the politicians, public figures, cultural and business leaders who expressed their support for us at the General Assembly and at all the events in America this week.

In particular, I participated in a special meeting on food security. This is one of the key topics in the UN this year – it was Russian aggression that made it so urgent. The world is looking for means to protect people from hunger and price crisis, and Ukraine has something to offer. We constantly increase food exports, we help the UN Food Program, we send grain as humanitarian aid to the countries that need it – Ethiopia, Somalia. And Ukraine has never ever provoked any crisis in the food market. The world appreciates all this.

Due to the decency of Ukraine and the constructive desire of our state to help others, we have a unique result: Russian propaganda is losing its influence even in the world where we still have to secure a strong information position, in particular in the countries of the Global South. These are Latin America, Africa, South Asia.

Also this week I participated in several important formats of communication with investors. The summit under the auspices of Forbes – a meeting of the world’s largest businessmen engaged in philanthropy. Video conference with representatives of BlackRock and Goldman Sachs – important global players. Clinton Global Initiative. Each such event adds attention to Ukraine, adds specific projects and benefits to our state, strengthens our resilience, and brings our victory closer.

The First Lady of Ukraine met in New York with Liz Truss, the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and it was a very substantive meeting. With First Lady of France Brigitte Macron. Together with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, she met with António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General. In total, she held almost 20 meetings.

At the invitation of Charles Michel, Olena took part in the Women in Conflict forum, which took place within the General Assembly. She presented a special charity fund – the Olena Zelenska Foundation, in order to accumulate even more support for Ukrainians, specifically for the humanitarian direction – primarily education, medicine and the restoration of what was destroyed by Russian strikes. We are creating all the necessary institutional framework so that anyone in the world can help us as efficiently, quickly and reliably as possible.

The Prime Minister of Ukraine held dozens of high-level meetings. Accents are clear. The situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. The expansion of defense, financial and sanction support. Support in preparing our country for winter, support in reconstruction. During each meeting, there was an emphasis that Russian terror must receive a clear global response – military, economic and legal, including the recognition of Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Our proposals for security guarantees for Ukraine, for Europe and the world – a project developed by the Yermak-Rasmussen group – were outlined in New York. Denys Shmyhal also met with the heads of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other major financial and investment organizations of the world. I am grateful to all of them for their support!

It is important to note the negotiations with the Prime Minister of Japan, the country that will soon chair the G7 and the UN Security Council. We discussed our priorities. Negotiations took place with the Prime Minister of Iraq – this is a new partner for Ukraine, an important partner.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs held more than 30 meetings, and the vast majority of them were with representatives of countries that are not our traditional partners. We are strengthening our position in relations with Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Probably, this is the most meaningful and positive participation of Ukraine in the UN General Assembly in all years of our independence. The world not only talks about Ukraine, but also realizes that by helping Ukraine, it also helps solve urgent global problems and crises. We offer a way to make the world more stable and safer. The world heard it.

A very important event took place today in Izyum, Kharkiv region. Representatives of almost twenty diplomatic missions – the Baltic states and Eastern Europe, Germany, France, Spain, Slovenia, Croatia, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, the EU Ambassador – saw with their own eyes what the Russian occupiers left behind. Ruined houses, torture chambers, mass burial site… The world will know full information about every crime committed by Russia in the temporarily occupied territories.

The world will react absolutely justly to the sham referenda – they will be unequivocally condemned, and to the criminal mobilization that the occupiers are currently trying to carry out in Crimea and other parts of Ukraine, which they so far control. These are not just crimes against international law and the law of Ukraine. These are crimes against specific people, against the nation.

Now in Crimea, in places of dense residence of qırımlılar, there are attempts to find and mobilize as many men as possible. We already have evidence of this. This is a deliberate attempt by Russia to destroy the Crimean Tatar people, this is a deliberate attempt by the aggressor state to take the lives of as many residents of the territory the Russian troops invaded as possible.

I have a simple request to all our people in the temporarily occupied territory: do the main thing – save your lives and help us weaken and destroy the occupiers.

Hide from the Russian mobilization by any means. Avoid conscription letters. Try to get to the free territory of Ukraine.

But if you get into the Russian army, sabotage any activity of the enemy, hinder any Russian operations, provide us with any important information about the occupiers – their bases, headquarters, warehouses with ammunition. And at the first opportunity, switch to our positions. Do everything to save your life and help liberate Ukraine.

Since the beginning of active actions in the east of our country in September, about 9 thousand square kilometers of territory and about 400 settlements have already been liberated. This tangible result was achieved in particular thanks to the fact that our people in the temporarily occupied territory helped us. Please do everything to increase such help.

Give our special services all the information about those who organize and help conduct this farce with sham referenda. Provide all information about the Russian mobilization, about the Russian army in general. Help those in the occupied areas who need it: elderly people, single people, families with children. Ukraine will return to all its lands, and we must save as many of our people there as possible.

Pursuant to my instruction, Head of the Office Andriy Yermak held a meeting today regarding assistance to Ukrainians whom we have freed from captivity. The Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, the Head of the National Guard, the ministers of internal affairs, defense, healthcare, social policy, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, our ombudsman were present. Our warriors must receive everything the necessary, real help, any assistance. The state knows how to be grateful to its heroes. I am waiting for a report at the beginning of the week with a specific plan on supporting each person.

Today, the Russian army used Iranian drones for attacking the Dnipropetrovsk region and Odesa. I commissioned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide a tough response to this fact. The world will know about every fact of collaboration with evil, and it will have corresponding consequences.

It has already been decided to deprive the Ambassador of Iran to Ukraine of accreditation, as well as to significantly reduce the number of diplomatic personnel of the Iranian Embassy.

Six of these Iranian drones were shot down by our anti-aircraft troops of the “East” and “South” air commands. Another one was shot down by the anti-aircraft defense of the Naval Forces. In addition, the “Center” air command shot down a Russian strike aircraft and a helicopter today in the south of our country. And I was just informed about another Iranian combat drone shot down by the anti-aircraft troops of the “South” command.

I am grateful to our warriors for accuracy!

I am grateful to everyone who fights and works for the victory of Ukraine!

I am grateful to everyone in the world who helps us protect life and freedom!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 22 September 2022.

Ukrainians!

All our defenders!

Today I want to say special words of gratitude. Gratitude to all our people who defend our state, defend independence.

Ukraine held out after a full-scale attack by Russia. Ukraine managed to unite the world around the struggle for freedom. Ukraine managed to liberate a significant part of the territory the Russian troops invaded. Ukraine liberates people from Russian captivity.

And Ukraine managed to change the course of the war so that every occupier, even the most inadequate one, felt that we can win and are moving towards victory.

I am thankful to everyone who fights and works for this! For the sake of our victory.

It is precisely to the fact of Ukrainian strength that the leadership of Russia reacts, changing tactics and trying to draw even more Russian citizens and resources into the war.

Russia’s decision on mobilization is a frank admission that their regular army, which has been prepared for decades to take over a foreign country, did not withstand and crumbled. And now, due to mobilization, Russia’s war against Ukraine for the majority of Russian citizens is not something on TV or on the Internet, but something that has entered every Russian home.

I’ve held a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief today. The questions are clear. Frontline. Provision of our military. And new threats created by Russia.

I will note right away: any decisions of the Russian leadership do not change anything for Ukraine. We should care only about our tasks. This is the liberation of our country, the protection of our people and the mobilization of global support for the implementation of our tasks.

Diplomatic mobilization of the entire international community is now taking place.

The circle of those who support us now is not limited to our traditional partners and those who openly supported our state after February 24. Now almost everyone supports us – this is the reaction to new Russian escalation steps.

In particular, the farce with the preparation of sham referenda in the occupied territory demonstrates what happened in 2014 in Crimea and Donbas.

And I am grateful to everyone in the world who supported us. Who clearly condemned another Russian lie.

Grateful to President Biden and all American friends. To President Macron, Chancellor Scholz, the President of Finland and all our Polish brothers, the Baltic states, Mr. Borrell, Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen, Charles Michel, the OSCE and all Europeans from Iceland to Romania, who will never be deceived by Russia again.

I am thankful to Britain for the support! Türkiye! Thank you Canada! Thanks also to all those who now privately express their support for Ukraine.

When Russia declares that it supposedly wants negotiations, but announces mobilization… When Russia knows Ukraine’s clear position about the impossibility of a diplomatic process after Russia holds any sham referenda…

Everything is clear to everyone. Russia itself buries the prospect of negotiations with its own hands.

I will explain to the Russians what is happening in Russian.

Protests against mobilization took place in the cities of Russia – albeit not massive, but they took place. And they take place. And this is an indicator. Not only in Moscow and St. Petersburg. We know the real mood in the regions of Russia.

We see that people in Dagestan, in Buryatia, in other national republics and regions of Russia understand that they were simply thrown. Thrown to death.

Why, for example, Dagestanis or anyone else should die in the Kharkiv region or near Donetsk? Because one person in Russia decided so – for all the citizens of Russia. There is no other reason. That’s what he wants.

You are already accomplices in all these crimes, murders and torture of Ukrainians.

Because you were silent. Because you are silent.

And now it’s time for you to choose. For men in Russia, this is a choice to die or live, to become a cripple or to preserve health. For women in Russia, the choice is to lose their husbands, sons, grandchildren forever, or still try to protect them from death, from war, from one person.

Just think about the number of people they want to take away!

We know for sure that the conscription letters for 300,000 people were printed and signed in advance, even before this decision on mobilization appeared. Our intelligence has proven it. But the Russian leadership is preparing to take up to a million men into the army – this is the key thing they are now silent about.

We know that they will take everyone indiscriminately. Not only the military in the reserve, but any men. Anyone who will be so intimidated that he will be more afraid of avoiding war than of dying in war.

55 thousand Russian soldiers died in this war in six months. Tens of thousands are wounded and maimed. Want more? No? Then protest. Fight back. Run away. Or surrender to Ukrainian captivity. These are options for you to survive.

Russian mothers! Have no doubt that the children of the top officials of your state will not be sent to the war against Ukraine. Those who make decisions in your country take care of their children. And they do not even bury your children.

And we return ours.

A very important briefing was held today. Head of the Office Yermak, Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Budanov, Head of the Security Service Maliuk, Minister of Internal Affairs Monastyrskyi. They told the details of our operation to release 215 warriors, the details of the exchange. We do everything so that society and the world can see how Ukraine protects people and basic human values.

Once again, I congratulate 215 families and our entire country on the return of the heroes.

I am thankful to everyone who helps Ukraine!

Eternal glory to all who fight for Ukraine!

Glory to our indomitable and brave people!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 21 September 2022.

Ukrainians!

We are bringing our people home. Exchange has just finished. Today we have 215 pieces of good news. 215!

This is clearly a victory for our state, for our entire society. And most importantly, for 215 families who will be able to see their loved ones in safety.

Hero of Ukraine Yevheniy Bova. Hero of Ukraine Lev Pashko. Hero of Ukraine Denys Prokopenko.

And a total of 108 warriors of “Azov”, a total of 188 heroes of “Azovstal” and Mariupol. Eight people were wounded during the Russian terrorist attack in Olenivka. A total of 215 heroes!

These are warriors of the National Guard, our army, the Navy, border guards, policemen, warriors of the territorial defense, employees of the Security Service of Ukraine and others.

Dmytro Kozatskyi – the famous Orest, a photographer from “Azovstal”. Mykola Kushch and Kostiantyn Nikitenko – the militants sentenced them to death.

Kateryna Polishchuk – “Ptashka”, Maryana Mamonova, Valentyna Zubko, Yana Shumovetska, Zoriana Repetska, Anastasia Chernenka.

We remember all our people and try to save every Ukrainian. This is the meaning of Ukraine, our essence, this is what distinguishes us from the enemy… We value every life!

And we will definitely do everything to save everyone who is in Russian captivity.

This operation was prepared for quite a long time. And there are several components in the exchange.

The first component: we exchanged one fan of Russia for 200 warriors. At first, we were offered to return 50 of our people in exchange for one of those in the detention center of the Security Service of Ukraine. We talked. We insisted. The number of 50 increased to 200. They are already in Ukraine. I think this is a good result.

Although even more than 200… Because among the released Ukrainian women there are those who are preparing to become mothers. And I am especially happy that it has now become possible to return them to Ukraine.

It is not a pity to give Medvedchuk in exchange for real warriors. He went through all the investigative actions provided for by law. Ukraine received from him everything necessary to establish the truth in the framework of criminal proceedings.

The second component – in addition to 200 warriors, we returned five more combat commanders for whom we had to carry out the biggest, the longest, the most difficult fight. They were threatened with the worst. Five superheroes.

In exchange for them, we gave 55 of those who deserve neither pity, nor sympathy, nor any words at all. Those who fought against Ukraine. And those who betrayed Ukraine. Those who we definitely do not need.

Ukraine agreed with Türkiye – I spoke about this with President Erdoğan – that our five commanders who are being released from captivity will be in complete safety, in comfortable conditions and under the personal protection of the President of Türkiye. Until the end of the war. But we will provide the opportunity for their families to see them.

Serhiy Volynskyi, Svyatoslav Palamar, Denys Prokopenko, Oleg Khomenko, Denys Shleha. Once again, I am thankful to President Erdoğan!

And, of course, we helped our friends – this is a matter of honor for Ukraine, a matter of our gratitude for helping our country. We managed to liberate 10 foreign citizens who were in Russian captivity.

Earlier we discussed this with Boris Johnson – he asked for assistance. With American friends. Now the following people will return home: five citizens of Great Britain, two citizens of the United States, one citizen of Morocco, one citizen of Sweden, one citizen of Croatia. The enemy sentenced them to a long prison term or the death penalty. We saved their lives.

All of them will return home through the mediation of Saudi Arabia. I am sincerely grateful to everyone who contributed for your help!

And I want to name those people thanks to whom we have these 215 pieces of good news today.

On the Ukrainian side, a pretty powerful group deals with the issue of release. It is managed by four: Head of the Office Yermak, Head of our intelligence Budanov, Head of the Security Service Maliuk and Rustem Umerov. And I also thank their team – Dmytro Usov, Ombudsman Lubinets, Minister Monastyrskyi.

Thank you, guys, for this Ukrainian success!

Already tomorrow we will introduce some other members of our group, which is working to save our people from captivity. We will also provide more details of this exchange. Please wait for the corresponding briefing.

Thank you once again to everyone who ensured this victory for Ukraine!

Congratulations to all our defenders who are returning home!

We remember everyone!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 20 September 2022.

Ukrainians!

I’ve just taken part in a high-level meeting on food security. This meeting took place within the regular UN General Assembly.

The topic of food security is strategically important for our country. This is where we have – and must retain – a global role. This is what gives us economic strength and strengthens our moral leadership. The leadership of people who help others even when they themselves are in extremely difficult circumstances.

We participate in the implementation of the UN World Food Programme and help African countries. We have resumed our seaborne agricultural exports, and this enables us to export our agricultural products to countries already on three continents.

We are working on opening the markets of Latin America and other important parts of the world for our producers.

Tomorrow I will participate in the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly. Obviously, in a video format. But no matter what the format is, the position of our state will sound, as always, clearly and strongly. Especially since the visit of the First Lady of Ukraine to the United States has already begun, meetings within the UN General Assembly have begun.

Olena has already met with the First Ladies of Poland and Lithuania – this is our format of the Lublin Triangle. And she also met nine wives of presidents and prime ministers from different countries at the Ukrainian Institute of America in the framework of the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen. This is the first such event within our cooperation format. I expect important decisions after the meetings of Prime Minister of Ukraine Shmyhal with the leaders of the states in the framework of the General Assembly.

Today I spoke with the American friends of our country within the Clinton Global Initiative. And also with representatives of the leading American investment circles. I felt a great interest in Ukraine, in our reconstruction, in our capabilities. Unequivocal faith in Ukraine. Good knowledge of the situation in our country. We are developing our relations with the US at all levels.

I spoke with President of Türkiye Erdoğan. The key topic is security.

Head of the Office Andriy Yermak had another conversation with US President’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan today. A very useful, substantive and efficient conversation.

We continue stabilization measures in the areas liberated from the Russian occupation. The regular facts of Russian atrocities are recorded – people show where the occupiers had torture chambers, where they hid the bodies of the murdered, testify about who helped the occupiers.

I am thankful to all law enforcement officers involved in establishing the truth about the crimes of the occupiers. I am thankful to everyone who helps them. This is a colossal job that is needed for the sake of justice, for the sake of punishing everyone guilty of crimes against Ukrainians.

The situation on the frontline clearly indicates that the initiative belongs to Ukraine. Our defenders very carefully and very bravely fulfill the tasks set by their commanders.

Today, I would like to particularly note the 81st separate airborne assault brigade for its courage in liberating settlements in the Donetsk region. And also the 93rd separate mechanized brigade – for the heroic defense of Bakhmut and Soledar. Thank you! Gratitude to all our heroes!

Of course, today there is quite high-profile news from Russia. Lots of questions about this. But what actually happened? What did we hear that had not been heard before?

Our positions are clear and well known. Only this should interest us. Not what sounds somewhere, but what is our task.

More support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, more support for intelligence, more support for the Special Operations Forces, more support for the Security Service of Ukraine, for the National Guard, for the police, for the border guards – for everyone who is gradually restoring our territorial integrity.

Our positions do not change because of the noise or any announcements somewhere. And we enjoy the full support of our partners in this.

We inform all subjects of international relations about what is happening. And we see understanding not only from our partners, but also from those states that tried to stay away from our struggle. There will be steps in support of Ukraine in such circumstances from key international associations as well.

So let’s maintain the pressure. Let’s preserve unity. Let’s defend Ukraine. We are liberating our land. And we are not showing any signs of weakness.

And I thank all friends and partners of Ukraine for today’s mass principled firm condemnation of Russia’s attempts to stage new sham referenda.

Glory to everyone who defends our state!

Glory to our beautiful people!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 19 September 2022.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Today, I held another meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief – we meet every time we have significant news from the frontline.

The Kharkiv region – we are stabilizing the situation, holding our positions. Firmly. So firmly that the occupiers are panicking tangibly. Well, we warned that the Russian soldiers in Ukraine have only two options: flee our land or surrender. The collaborators have similar options – either they will try to escape, and it remains to be seen whether Russia will let them into its territory, even despite giving them its passports, or the collaborators will be convicted according to the current legislation of Ukraine.

By the way, I want to thank the National Police for quickly restoring law and order in the newly liberated territory. And the Security Service of Ukraine – for the fact that it is now working with remarkable effectiveness. I cannot reveal all the details, but thanks to the Security Service of Ukraine, we are now confident that the occupiers will not have any foothold on Ukrainian soil.

What’s important: the situation at the state border and the protection of our border were discussed at the meeting. The Head of the State Border Service delivered a report. The state will provide all the necessary power to protect our border.

We heard the reports by the Commander-in-Chief, commanders of operative directions.

We are very attentive to the provision of our warriors on the eve of the winter.

Today I want to thank the warriors of the 54th separate mechanized brigade, who are showing resilience in the defense of the Donetsk region. The 95th airborne assault brigade – for extremely brave actions on liberating our territory. The 59th separate motorized infantry brigade is also doing a great job! In the conditions you are fighting, guys, moving forward steadily is truly heroism! The 57th separate motorized infantry brigade – thank you guys for your strength! Thank you for advancing!

The pace is very important now. The pace of stabilization in the liberated areas. The pace of movement of our troops. The pace of restoration of normal life in the liberated territory. And the pace of support from partners. We speak about this honestly – the pace of providing aid to Ukraine should correspond to the pace of our movement. This was also considered today at the meeting.

I spoke with Aleksander Čeferin today. I am grateful for the support of our athletes, for unwavering principles. I thanked the UEFA President for his assistance in restarting the Ukrainian Football Premier League. We discussed the opportunities of UEFA to help in the liberation of our athletes – prisoners of war, in providing public support to them.

These days, a farewell ceremony for Queen Elizabeth II took place in London. Ukraine honored her memory at a high level – the Prime Minister of Ukraine and the First Lady were present. Among the millions of people who came to pay respects to Her Majesty, there were many Ukrainians. I am thankful to all Ukrainians in the United Kingdom who showed our British friends at this sorrowful moment that Ukraine stands with them.

Tomorrow will be a very important day – we are preparing a speech at the UN General Assembly. There will be important signals from our state.

I will also take part in the summit on food security – this is a fundamentally important element of global security, and Ukraine has something to say.

There will also be online meetings with American partners and investors. We are doing everything to ensure that Ukraine’s needs are met at all levels: defense, finance, economy, diplomacy.

I am grateful to everyone who helps our country!

I am grateful to everyone who fights for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!