Tag: 2022

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 12 August 2022.

Dear Ukrainians, I wish you health!

Today, for the first time, Ukraine celebrates the International Youth Day simultaneously with most of the world’s countries. This decision was made last summer – to postpone its celebration to August 12 to be together with Europe in such a symbolic event. And it worked. Youth Day felt very organic today.

And above all, together with the First Lady, we met with young heroes-saviors – you are great, I am proud of children and teenagers who are strong despite their age, responsible despite their age. They raise funds for the army, they help our wounded, they help people, they help save people’s lives.

A special awarding ceremony for such our young heroes was held in the Mariinsky Palace, in the White Hall of Heroes of Ukraine. Maksym Brovchenko, Irynka Vasylieva, Oleksandr Hutsal, Yehor Shemet, Davyd Ponuliak, Hlib Bondarenko, Andriy Pokrasa, Danylo Serheev. They are from seven to sixteen years old, and they are heroes. And one can be proud of their deeds in such a way that not every adult has such a biography.

I also met today with representatives of various youth communities and organizations – educational, volunteer, military, creative, Plast, with representatives of youth from the diaspora… I am very proud that Maryna Viazovska, one of the most famous young Ukrainian women, who received the highest award in the world of mathematics – the famous Fields Medal, also attended the meeting.

We had a very warm and fruitful conversation about the defense of our country, about victory – and it is on the horizon, about the future of Ukraine, about our institutions. The ideas sounded very good – we will implement them.

I had a talk with the pontiff today. I thanked Pope Francis for the support of Ukrainians. We discussed what we can do together to restore peace in the state. I briefed him on the situation on the front line and Russia’s constant efforts to increase the level of terror. He agrees with it, he supports us.

The day before, a decision was made in Latvia – Latvia officially recognized Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. We are working to ensure that the whole world does the same. That’s fair. It is right. And it will be.

After all that the occupiers have done in Ukraine, there can be only one attitude towards Russia – as towards a terrorist state. And, by the way, it is from this point of view that the attitude towards the citizens of Russia should be determined.

I thank the Czech Republic, the Baltic states and other countries that brought the issue of visas for citizens of a terrorist state to the official level of discussion in Europe. Of course, we all understand: there are people who really need protection, who are persecuted in Russia, may even be killed, and therefore they should receive help from the civilized world. These are well-known legal mechanisms – through refugee status, asylum requests, and other opportunities to help and support. But it is for those who fight, for those who are persecuted. And this should not apply to the rest of Russian citizens in Europe, tourism, entertainment, business affairs. It is impossible to work for a terrorist state…

First, there must be a guarantee that Russian murderers and facilitators of state terror will not use Schengen. And secondly, one cannot destroy the very idea of Europe, our common European values, that is, one cannot turn Europe into a supermarket where it does not matter who enters – the main thing is that a person simply pays for the goods.

Therefore, visa restrictions for citizens of the Russian Federation are fair, and all defenders of European values should insist on them.

In the evening, I signed a decree awarding our soldiers and heroes. A total of 181 combatants were given state awards, 33 of them posthumously. In total, more than 26,500 Ukrainian men and women were awarded during the war.

I am grateful to everyone who defends our country! Who deters very brutal attacks of the occupiers in Pisky, in Avdiyivka, in the Bakhmut area… Who defends Kharkiv region and our south, our dear Ukraine.

We will do everything so that each occupier, as well as the terrorist state in general, will fully feel what a strong Ukrainian response to their terror is.

Glory to all our soldiers!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 11 August 2022.

Ukrainians!

Brief summaries of the day.

I took part in the donor conference in Copenhagen. These are 26 partner states of Ukraine: European countries, the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand. They established another format – as a continuation of the well-known meetings at the Ramstein Air Base. This format is about long-term support, including weapons, ammunition, military training, demining, recovery of the liberated territory.

We already have the first results of the conference. Immediately after the opening of the meeting, Denmark announced a new support package for Ukraine in the amount of 110 million euros. In general, the conference collected 1.5 billion euros in just one day, which will be spent, in particular, on the production of vital ammunition. By the way, this is a significant plus to those credit guarantees for 4 billion dollars that were previously provided by the United States to strengthen our defense cooperation with partners on the supplies for the Ukrainian army.

I am thankful to everyone who supported Ukraine today in Copenhagen, and I believe that this format of cooperation will accelerate our joint victory.

In my address to the conference participants, I emphasized that everyone needs to act much faster and tougher. And especially after Russia resorted to unconcealed nuclear blackmail. What is happening now around the Zaporizhzhia NPP is one of the biggest crimes of the terrorist state. Today, another shelling by Russia was recorded on the territory of the plant, in the immediate vicinity of the NPP facilities.

Russia has once again gone through another floor in the world history of terrorism. No one else has used a nuclear plant so obviously to threaten the whole world and to put forward some conditions. And absolutely everyone in the world should react immediately to expel the occupiers from the territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. This is a global interest, not just a Ukrainian need. We emphasize this at all levels – from the UN Security Council to contacts between states. Only the complete withdrawal of Russians from the territory of the Zaporizhzhia NPP and the restoration of Ukraine’s full control over the situation around the plant will guarantee the restoration of nuclear safety for all of Europe.

Today I would like to point out an important thing for all representatives of the state and local authorities, the military sphere and other persons who comment on the events at the front, the defense plan of the command, the preparation of specific operations, etc. The general rule is simple: war is definitely not the time for vanity and loud statements. The less concrete details you give about our defense plans, the better it will be for the implementation of those defense plans.

If you want to leave the big headlines, that’s one thing. Frankly irresponsible. If you want victory for Ukraine, then that is another thing, and you should feel your responsibility for every word you say about our state’s preparation for defense or counteroffensive.

Another conversation took place in the permanent format “Yermak, Sullivan, Zaluzhny, Milley”. The topic of the conversation is clear. The content is positive. And the details, I think, are superfluous.

I met today with chef Jose Andres, the founder of World Central Kitchen international humanitarian organization. For more than ten years, he has been feeding people in countries that have become victims of war or natural disasters. A successful restaurateur, working in America, one of the most famous and influential people in the world.

From the first days of Russia’s full-scale war against our country, his organization started working on the border with Poland – for migrants. Subsequently, it started activities in many cities of Ukraine – already 5 thousand people work there. More than 130 million meals have been cooked for our citizens.

We agreed with Mr. Andres on the expansion of such a humanitarian mission, in particular to areas that are gradually being liberated from Russian occupation.

And today I also want to thank all Ukrainians and citizens of the friendly states who help meet the humanitarian needs created by this war. Those who help displaced people with housing and jobs. Those who treat and rehabilitate those wounded by Russian shelling. Those who deliver medicine, food and means of communication to the frontline areas. Those who support lonely people and orphans of this war. And those who help restore everything that was destroyed by Russian terrorists.

This is a multi-thousand-strong humanitarian army of Ukraine and the entire free world, to which Russia cannot and will not be able to oppose anything. I thank you!

Tomorrow will be a busy day – there will be many international and domestic events tomorrow. We are already preparing for them. We do everything to ensure that our defenders have reliable support at the political, diplomatic, economic, humanitarian and all other levels.

Eternal glory to all our warriors!

Glory to each and every one who defends Donbas, the Kharkiv region, the south, the center and our entire state!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 10 August 2022.

Ukrainians!

All our defenders!

At the end of this difficult 168th day of our defense, a few things should be said.

First. The Armed Forces of Ukraine, our intelligence and our law enforcement agencies will not leave today’s Russian shelling of the Dnipropetrovsk region unanswered. 13 people died as a result of the occupiers’ attack on Marhanets’. More than ten are wounded, five are in grave condition.

Russian troops were striking with “Grads”. This regular manifestation of Russian terror, just as the attacks on Mykolaiv and Kharkiv, once again proves that it is necessary to increase military aid to Ukraine. The more powerful our weapons are and the greater the range of their use is, the sooner this cruel war will end.

And that’s the second thing I wanted to say today. This is a question that worries absolutely everyone: when will the war end? Someone says – months, someone – a year, someone – even more. But the question of time actually directly depends on the question of the losses that Russia will suffer. The more losses the occupiers suffer, the sooner we will be able to liberate our land and guarantee Ukraine’s security. This is what everyone who defends our state and helps Ukraine should think about: how to inflict the greatest possible losses on the occupiers so that the time of the war gets shorter.

If almost 43,000 dead Russian soldiers do not convince the Russian leadership that they need to find a way out of the war, then more fighting is needed, more results are needed to convince.

In just one day, the occupiers lost ten combat aircraft: nine in Crimea and one more in the direction of Zaporizhzhia. The occupiers also suffer new losses of armored vehicles, warehouses with ammunition, logistics routes…

A conference at the level of defense ministers of Ukraine’s partner states begins tomorrow in Copenhagen. Further support for our state in this war, including weapons, will be discussed. I am grateful to all our partners who understand that only by ensuring Russia’s defeat on the battlefield, only by Russian losses – military, political, economic – can the return of security for Ukraine and the whole of Europe be brought closer. The more weapons, the more military-technical and financial support Ukraine receives, the sooner our people and all Europeans will be able to experience peace and stability in life again.

And the third thing. I want to say it right now to the residents of the temporarily occupied territory. No matter what the occupiers promise, their only way is to escape. At best. If they make it in time.

We expelled the Russian army from the northern regions. We expelled the invaders from our Zmiinyi Island. They already feel that the time has come to flee from Kherson and from the south of our country in general. The time will come when they will flee from the Kharkiv region, from Donbas, from Crimea… And everyone who can help in this, should do so.

If you have any important information about the enemy, please report it in a safe way to our intelligence services, our military. If you know those who help the occupiers or justify aggression, please report this as well.

Be sure to help our people in the occupied territory who are left alone or without communication. Talk to them, support them, tell them about our struggle and about the possibilities of evacuating to a free territory. The invaders are using our people to cover their attacks as human shields. Ukraine will return everything of its own, and must save as many lives as possible.

I held several important meetings today, in particular, regarding the program for the fast recovery of liberated territories.

I continue to establish new ties at the highest level with African countries – today I spoke with the President of the Republic of Ghana. Yesterday – with the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Food security, cooperation in international organizations, economic ties are a range of issues that benefit both our state and African countries.

In the evening, I signed another decree awarding our defenders. 244 combatants were awarded state awards, 21 of them posthumously.

Ukrainians should always remember that every step of our army in this war was made in cruel and difficult battles. The occupiers have not captured anything without the resistance of our heroes since February 24 and will not be able to keep anything. We will liberate everything.

Eternal glory to everyone who fights for our country!

Eternal memory to all those who gave their lives for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 9 August 2022.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Today, there is a lot of attention to the topic of Crimea. And rightly so. Because Crimea is Ukrainian, and we will never give it up.

We will not forget that the Russian war against Ukraine began with the occupation of Crimea.

Russia has turned our peninsula, which has always been and will be one of the best places in Europe, into one of the most dangerous places in Europe. Russia brought large-scale repression, environmental problems, economic hopelessness and war to Crimea. War.

Perhaps historians will one day determine how many people were killed as a result of Russia’s use of Crimea for terror. Tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands? From Ukraine and Georgia to Syria and more remote regions.

The presence of Russian occupiers in Crimea is a threat to the entire Europe and to global stability. The Black Sea region cannot be safe as long as Crimea is occupied. There will be no stable and lasting peace in many countries on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea as long as Russia is able to use our peninsula as its military base.

This Russian war against Ukraine and against the entire free Europe began with Crimea and must end with Crimea – with its liberation. Today it is impossible to say when this will happen. But we are constantly adding the necessary components to the formula of liberation of Crimea.

We launched the Crimea Platform – a key diplomatic platform for the work on the liberation of Crimea. The Crimea Platform will work this year as well. We are already preparing for this summit.

The Crimean topic sounds on all international platforms where the Russian war against our state is discussed. The history of the global response to Russia’s seizure of Crimea, or rather the lack of such a response, is now one of the best arguments for strengthening sanctions against Russia. The world is beginning to recognize that it made a mistake in 2014 when it decided not to respond with full force to Russia’s first aggressive steps.

And, of course, we pay due attention to the struggle for rights and historical justice for the indigenous peoples of Ukraine – the Crimean Tatar people, Karaites and Krymchaks. Today, on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, we really have something to say.

Last summer, the fundamental law on indigenous peoples of Ukraine was adopted. This law recognizes the rights of indigenous peoples and representative bodies of indigenous peoples.

Ukraine is a multinational state. Various national communities have been living on our land for centuries. But most of them have experience of state formation outside of Ukraine. Our state is native to peoples whose national cultures and aspirations were formed in Crimea. Therefore, when we are working for the liberation of the peninsula, we are fighting for the restoration of the territorial integrity of our state and for the return of home to the indigenous peoples of Ukraine. I believe that it will be so. I know that we will return to the Ukrainian Crimea. And I am grateful to all our partners and international organizations that help us in this.

It is too early to disclose all the details, but this year the work of the Crimea Platform will be no less important and representative than last year, when its first summit was held in Kyiv. The format will be different, but the value will be even greater.

We are preparing new solutions for the protection and assistance in the realization of the rights of the indigenous peoples of Ukraine. We are also preparing programs for the economic recovery of our Crimea after its liberation from the occupiers.

Well, the main thing is to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine, our intelligence and everyone who is fighting to liberate our land and repel the Russian colonial invasion.

From the Kharkiv region to Kherson, from Donetsk to Enerhodar, from Stanytsia Luhanska to Yalta, from Berdyansk to Novofedorivka – these are all parts of our country, this is Ukraine, which will be completely free.

Today I signed a new decree on awarding our defenders. 182 combatants were awarded state awards. The total number of awarded Ukrainian warriors has already exceeded 26,000 since February 24.

I thank everyone who defends Ukraine!

Eternal glory to all who fight for freedom!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Ukrainians!

These days, people remember the Russian war against Georgia in 2008. There are many talks about the prerequisites of that war, about its consequences. About how that year’s refusal to provide Ukraine and Georgia with a NATO Membership Action Plan increased the audacity of the Russian leadership. But still, the war of that time has not yet become history, has not completely receded into the past. Therefore, it is necessary to talk more about what can be done than about what happened.

The challenges of that time are still very relevant today. And not only because the threat of further Russian aggression in this part of the Caucasus still exists, even though it is frozen. Only now has the world begun to realize the need for real, effective tools to prevent such aggressions and to bring any aggressors to justice.

2008, 2014, 2022 – the wars that started in these years have a different scale and nature, but there is one meaning of what happened: regional and global security mechanisms did not work.

That is why the principle of prevention, which we have been insisting on for a very long time even before February 24, is so necessary in international relations. If it is already clear that a state is preparing aggression – unjust, unprovoked, illegal, then the world’s reaction to its preparation should be the same as to the aggression that happened. It is necessary to act to prevent war, not to wait for strikes and victims.

After this Russian war against Ukraine, neither smoldering nor frozen conflict should remain. This is an important conclusion. Ukraine must return everything that Russia temporarily seized, and the aggressor state must be punished for the crime of aggression. And this is important not only for justice.

Only the obvious defeat of the aggressor, their loss of everything captured and their international legal responsibility for aggression are safeguards against any war.

This is what our diplomats, the Office, government officials and absolutely everyone involved in organizing a global political, economic and legal response to Russian aggression are working on. By protecting our state, we automatically protect everyone who has already been threatened or may still be threatened by a terrorist state.

And, of course, the greatest contribution is now made by the military – all Ukrainian heroes who are breaking the Russian terrorist machine on the battlefield.

Today I especially want to thank the Ukrainian anti-aircraft fighters of the Air Command “Center” and Air Command “South” for the successful destruction of Russian missiles that were launched from the Black Sea in the morning. The four downed Kalibrs are dozens of Ukrainian lives saved. Our military also managed to shoot down some of the missiles that Russian terrorists launched at Ukraine in the afternoon and in the evening.

Yes, our military means are still not enough to guarantee the downing of all Russian missiles. And we will do everything to ensure that such means appear in our country. But even now, the skill of our heroes makes it possible, at least partially, to reduce the Russian terrorist threat. I am grateful to everyone who ensures that!

We are actively informing the world about Russian nuclear blackmail – about shelling and mining of the Zaporizhzhia NPP facilities. There are already appropriate reactions from the international community. But it is necessary to speed up actions in response. Russia will not pay attention to words and concerns. New sanctions are needed against the terrorist state and the entire Russian nuclear industry for creating the threat of a nuclear disaster. The world should not forget about Chornobyl and remember that the Zaporizhzhia NPP is the largest in Europe. The Chornobyl disaster is an explosion in one reactor, the Zaporizhzhia NPP is six power units.

I held negotiations with the President of Botswana – the first in the history of our bilateral relations. We discussed cooperation within the UN and other international organizations. I expressed gratitude for the condemnation of Russian aggression and assured Mr. President that Ukraine is ready to continue being the guarantor of world food security.

Implementation of the grain export initiative continues – today, for the first time since February 24, a loaded ship left the Pivdennyi port. Currently, there is every chance to ensure the rhythmic nature of such exports. However, as in previous days, the key thing is the ability of the partners to prevent any attempts by Russia to disrupt exports and exacerbate the global food crisis again.

And I want to remind all our agrarians, all workers of our ports, all those involved in related industries and all those who comment on this that sea export was restored primarily thanks to our warriors who protected the relevant water area: our intelligence, our special operations forces and “Alpha” of the Security Service of Ukraine, gunners, the Navy, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, border guards and our entire heroic army that defends the state.

A new package of American support for Ukraine in the amount of one billion dollars was announced today. These are, in particular, rockets for HIMARS, ammunition for artillery and many other really useful things. I am grateful to President Biden and the people of the United States for this support, 100% of which is used to protect freedom, our common freedom.

I signed a new decree on awarding combatants. 183 of our defenders were awarded state awards, four of them posthumously.

Eternal memory to all those who gave their lives for Ukraine!

Gratitude to everyone who fights for the country!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Today is the Day of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and now I want to once again congratulate all military pilots and also all defenders of our skies on a professional holiday.

We are all proud of you and wish you so many victories that the Russian soldiers are simply afraid of even the very thought of our Ukrainian sky.

This morning, I congratulated the fighters and commanders of the Air Force, handed out state awards to the best warriors.

I handed over the “Golden Star” orders to the wives of the fallen Heroes of Ukraine – Lieutenant colonel Eduard Vahorovsky and Major Dmytro Kolomiyets. They gave their lives saving their brothers and protecting our state. Eternal memory and gratitude to the Heroes!

I spoke today with President of the European Council Charles Michel. I informed him about the situation on the battlefield, about the threat that Russia created by striking at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. There is no such nation in the world that can feel safe when a terrorist state fires at a nuclear plant. God forbid, if something irreparable happens, no one will stop the wind that will spread the radioactive contamination. Therefore, a principled response of the international community to these Russian attacks on the Zaporizhzhia NPP – the largest in Europe – is needed right now.

The situation in Donbas remains very difficult. Our army is doing everything possible to stop the Russian terror and inflict the greatest possible losses on the occupiers. Avdiivka, Pisky, Maryinka, Bakhmut and other hot areas in the Donetsk region take the main efforts and, unfortunately, many lives.

It is also difficult in the Kharkiv region, in the south of our country, where the occupiers are trying to concentrate their forces.

The key thing now, just as before, is weapons for our defense, weapons from partners. Every day without any pauses, we work to increase the supply of weapons, to send more powerful and long-range systems to the front.

And next week we expect news from partners regarding support packages. Good news.

In this summer time, every week there are more and more reports that the occupiers are preparing for pseudo-referendums in the occupied areas of the south of our country. I want to say a very simple thing: everyone who helps the occupiers in any way realize their intention will be held accountable. They will bear responsibility to Ukraine.

The position of our state remains the same: we will not give up anything of ours, and if the occupiers follow the path of these pseudo-referendums, they will close for themselves any possibility of negotiations with Ukraine and the free world, which the Russian side will definitely need in a certain moment.

Next week, I will continue the practice of political appeals to representatives of partner states and nations who defend freedom together with us. A number of important negotiations are also planned – and not only with current politicians.

As before, Ukraine will do everything to make our struggle and Ukrainian needs known in all countries of the world and in all audiences – even those who usually do not follow political life.

In particular, American actress Jessica Chastain arrived in Kyiv today. She visited “Okhmatdyt” and saw with her own eyes the consequences of the Russian occupation in Irpin, Kyiv region.

Her story about our war will definitely be heard. We are preparing an important humanitarian event.

And I am grateful to all friends of Ukraine abroad and to everyone who helps expand our ties in the world.

We are doing everything to win, everything to protect our country.

I wish all of us Ukrainians a fruitful new week!

Glory to our warriors!

Glory to Ukraine!