Tag: Speeches

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

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

We have some much needed financial news today. First, there is another tranche of macro-financial aid from the European Union worth 2.5 billion euros. It is very important. We are also waiting for the approval of the macro-financial aid program for the next year in the amount of 18 billion euros.

Second, the United States of America has announced that it will soon provide $4.5 billion in additional funding to directly support our budget.

I am grateful to the partners for these important steps of solidarity. Due to such decisions of our friends, we maintain social stability and, despite all the Russian strikes, fulfill our social obligations. And these are obligations to millions of people.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, we have been making stable payments to pensioners – that’s almost 11 million older Ukrainians. Indexation of pensions was carried out, as provided by law. 6 million citizens have some form of social support.

This month alone, social payments totaled almost 14 billion hryvnias. This is assistance to those with many children, the poor, single mothers, and people with disabilities. Also more than 2 million internally displaced persons receive assistance from the state. Plus salaries for employees of the budget sector. We do everything to ensure payments for all our defenders.

The financial frontline for Ukraine is now as important as the frontline on the battlefield.

And I thank everyone who helps our state accumulate the necessary funds. Both to our friends in the world and to businesses that, despite everything, continue to work and pay taxes.

As for the energy frontline. Energy and utility workers in many regions continue restoration of the network. We are also preparing responses to possible new terrorist attacks against our energy system.

As of this evening, only stabilizing shutdown schedules are used in 16 regions and in Kyiv. But we must understand that in case of consumption spikes, emergency shutdowns are also possible.

We are also rolling out our new “Points of Invincibility” project to support people across the country. As of this day, more than 4,000 such points have already been prepared. More are planned.

If massive Russian strikes take place again and if there is an understanding that the electricity supply cannot be restored within hours, the work of “Points of Invincibility” will be activated – all basic services will be there, including electricity, mobile communications and the Internet, heat, water, and a first-aid kit. Absolutely free and 24/7.

Points will necessarily work at all regional and district administrations, as well as at schools, buildings of the State Emergency Service, etc.

A special website, nezlamnist.gov.ua, with a map of such points throughout the country is already available. It is constantly updated.

It’s important to see now where these points are in your city, in your community, and keep an eye on the map for updates in the coming weeks as new points are added.

On the website and in all “Points of Invincibility” you will be able to find out where the nearest gas station, bank, pharmacy and grocery store are operating.

All of us must be prepared for any scenario, considering what terrorists are fighting against our people and what they are trying to do.

Local authorities are tasked with informing people about the existence of “Points of Invincibility”. It should be very simple: in government buildings, in pharmacies, grocery stores, in post offices, there should be information about where a person can find support in the event of a long-term power outage.

And it is very important that conscientious business is already joining this initiative of ours. Thanks to all the entrepreneurs who decided to support society now and make their business facilities also “Points of Invincibility” – with generators, Starlinks, water and other stuff.

And please note that on our website nezlamnist.gov.ua there is a special form for business representatives who want to join and become a “Point of Invincibility” for Ukrainians. I am sure: by helping each other, we will all be able to get through this winter together.

The situation on the frontline has not changed over the past day. In all areas of the front, the same dynamics as in the previous days is maintained.

Donetsk region – fierce attacks, constant shelling. I thank all our heroes, who courageously hold out despite everything!

Luhansk region – with battles yet little by little we are strengthening our position and moving forward little by little.

Kherson region and other territories of the south – we are doing everything to reduce the combat potential of the occupiers and eliminate their ability to carry out shelling of our cities.

Step by step, we will bring the Russian army to new defeats, and no shelling of Kherson or any of our cities will help the occupiers.

The sea… On our United24 fundraising platform, we are actively raising funds for naval drones. Unity, as always, gives a great result. Ordinary people. More than 50 Ukrainian companies. International businesses. Plus our Lithuanian friends. Plus the IT community. In total, people from 93 countries joined this initiative of ours! We are gradually building the Ukrainian fleet of naval drones!

I thank everyone who supports us!

Thank you to everyone who fights and works for Ukraine!

Thank you to everyone who helps loved ones get through this difficult time!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

First of all, it should be said that today is the professional holiday of our paratroopers – the Day of Airborne Assault Troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

I’m in a relevant gift. The boys handed it over and asked to wear it. It’s my pleasure!

In particular, this is the day of the 25th Sicheslav Separate Airborne Brigade, the 80th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade, the 81st Separate Airmobile Brigade and the 95th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade, which distinguished themselves during the liberation of the Kharkiv region and our other lands.

This is the day of the 46th Separate Airmobile Brigade, which took part in the liberation of Kherson and the occupied territories of the left bank of Ukraine. The day of the 79th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade, which extremely bravely defends our state in the Luhansk region and the Donetsk region.

This is the day of units of the 132nd Іeparate Reconnaissance Battalion, which took part in the liberation of the Zhytomyr region and Kyiv region together with other units of the Airborne Assault Troops.

The day of the warriors of the 148th Separate Artillery Division who every day accurately “subtract” the enemy in the most threatening areas of the front.

This is the day of the 71st Separate Hunting Brigade, which became part of the Airborne Assault Troops recently, but has already proven itself well.

I thank you all, warriors! Thank you to all Ukrainian paratroopers!

In the morning, in the White Hall of the Heroes of Ukraine in the Mariyinsky Palace, I had the honor of presenting awards on the occasion of the professional holiday to the best fighters. I handed over the Gold Star Orders to the relatives of our Heroes who gave their lives for Ukraine.

Our Airborne Assault Troops, like all the Defense Forces of Ukraine, pay an extremely high price for our people to preserve their freedom. Thousands of Ukrainian men and women died fighting for our country. We should always remember them. We must always honor their courage and self-sacrifice.

I spoke today about Ukraine’s contribution to the protection of freedom and European values in an address to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

I called on the countries of the Alliance to take specific actions to implement the Ukrainian Peace Formula, which can reliably guarantee peace and justice for Ukraine and the entire Euro-Atlantic community.

I also called on all parliaments of NATO member states to finally adopt a decision on designating Russia as a terrorist state. I believe that gradually we will reach this result – this is how Russia will be perceived in the world. Exactly what it has become. A terrorist state.

And I thank all the members of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, who today adopted the relevant resolution to confirm this and our other positions.

Today I spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron about the implementation of several points of our Peace Formula at once. Namely, about radiation safety and the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, as well as about the energy security of Ukraine and Europe.

We are working to ensure the implementation of the IAEA order to stop any hostile activity against Ukrainian nuclear facilities. And for this, the demilitarization of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is extremely important. Russia must withdraw all its militants from there and stop shelling the station.

I am grateful to Mr. President Macron for his willingness to support the protection of our energy facilities. We are also doing everything to make the conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine and the implementation of our Fast Recovery Plan, in which France is ready to show leadership, as effective as possible.

Today, our energy workers had to apply not only stabilizing shutdowns, but also unscheduled ones. This is caused by a higher level of consumption than the country can provide at this time.

Therefore, I would like to appeal to all representatives of regional authorities and local communities: please do not stop communicating about the rational consumption of electricity.

Of course, energy workers, utility workers, rescuers and everyone involved are working at their maximum. But the systemic damage to our energy sphere by the attacks of Russian terrorists is so significant that all our people and businesses should be very frugal and spread consumption by hours of the day.

As of this evening, the situation is particularly difficult in Kyiv and the region, as well as in the Vinnytsia, Sumy, Ternopil, Cherkasy, Odesa regions and some other cities and districts.

Please try to limit your personal use of electricity in areas where there is the most difficulty on a daily basis, and especially during peak consumption hours. Of course, there should be a very frugal approach in public places as well.

And one more thing.

Today is the ninth anniversary of the beginning of Maidan – the Revolution of Dignity. Ninth… But the freedom and dignity of the Ukrainian people is more than a thousand years old. It is worth remembering this.

There were many threats to the freedom of our people and the very existence of Ukrainians. But the people got through it. And now we have a historic opportunity to defend Ukrainian freedom once and for all.

I believe that it will be so.

I thank everyone who supports our country! Thank you to everyone who fights and works for Ukraine! Eternal glory and honor to all those who gave their lives for the freedom of our people!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Fellow Ukrainians!

Today we celebrate the Day of Dignity and Freedom. A holiday that shows that for us dignity and freedom is a holiday. The answer to the question of who Ukrainians are and what is most important to them.

Dear people!

I said these words in the same place on the same day exactly one year ago. What has changed since then? A lot. In our country, Europe and the whole world. But something remains unchanged. This is the answer to the question of who Ukrainians are and what is most important to us. Two values, inextricably intertwined, like the right and left banks of the Dnipro River. Like blue and yellow colors. Like Chubynsky’s words and Verbytsky’s music. Like two threads of a pattern on a vyshyvanka where our genetic code is encrypted. This is dignity and freedom.

We always remembered this and have no right to forget. We always valued this and are not afraid to defend this. We always knew what we wanted. And this year, everyone found out what we are capable of. Friends and enemies saw it. Allies and partners. We saw for ourselves. Someone – once again. Someone – for the first time. But all together we proved and continue to prove that dignity and freedom are a holiday for us. This remained unchanged. And everyone saw what Ukrainians are capable of.

Everyone saw what defenders we have. How to hold out against one of the greatest armies in the world and become one of the best armies in the world. Someone will say: it sounds loud. Yes. Our army sounds loud. For the last eight years. And for the last nine months. When hardened fighters are joined by musicians, actors, Olympic champions, IT specialists, scientists, businessmen. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who did not get on the plane, but stood in line at the military commissariat. And side by side they stood up for our dream. Free Ukraine forever.

And everyone saw what our civilians are capable of. Everyone saw what kind of citizens we have! How can you become a living wall on the path of the occupier’s military columns, stop and turn around enemy tanks and armored personnel carriers with bare hands. Go to rallies under the occupation despite the gunshots and stun grenades. Preserve the Ukrainian flag and wait to finally meet the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Flood your village to prevent the orcs from entering Kyiv.

Shoot down a Russian drone with a can. Give seeds to the occupiers so that sunflowers sprout in the place where they perish.

And everyone saw what kind of doctors, firefighters, rescuers, railway workers, energy workers, and farmers we have. How can you be on duty for several weeks in a row. Pull dozens of wounded from the battlefield. Carry out surgeries under bombs and bullets. Sow a crop and gather it as a harvest under bombs and bullets. Give lectures to students online, in the trenches. Get a bachelor’s degree online, in the trenches.

Everyone saw what kind of volunteers and caring people we have. How can you raise funds for drones, ambulance vehicles, optics, thermal imagers in a matter of hours. How to get everything. Buy everything. Bring everything. And then get, buy and bring again, because that wasn’t all. And in every village, people canned borscht and stewed meat for the frontline, because we would go red with embarrassment if our warriors ate expired dry ration, like orcs.

We are willing to give the last we have so that the Ukrainian warrior looks decently. Fights decently. Wins decently. And everyone saw what kind of business we have. Not oligarchs, but a modern, creative, humane and responsible business. How to turn your office, hotel or gym into a shelter for IDPs. How fashion shoe brands manufacture army boots. Designers of women’s dresses manufacture body armor. A garden furniture manufacturer makes anti-tank hedgehogs. A famous model cooks food for warriors and refugees. A TV presenter makes a “Bandera smoothie”. A doctor of science sorts humanitarian aid in Poland. And an opera singer evacuates hundreds of people in his car.

Everyone saw what kind of children we have. How they give up smartphones and gadgets to donate money to the army. How they wash cars and sell drawings, collecting money for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. How a boy runs away from home to enroll in the territorial defense. How a girl with shot legs drives a car 15 kilometers to take out four wounded adults.

Everyone saw what kind of people we have! Willing to give the last. Willing to stand to the last. They did not lose dignity. Bravery. Faith in themselves. And they united. In order not to lose freedom. Not to lose independence. Not to lose Ukraine.

We can be left without money. Without gasoline. Without hot water. Without light. But not without freedom. And it remains unchanged.

Yes, we have paid and continue to pay a very high price for freedom. And we will never forget all those who gave their lives for Ukraine. And we will never forgive everyone who took away their lives and wanted to take away our freedom. But the main thing is that no one succeeded and no one will ever succeed.

Dear people!

I said these words in the same place on the same day exactly one year ago. What has changed since then? A lot. Craters appeared on our land. There are roadblocks and anti-tank hedgehogs in our cities and villages. It may be dark on our streets. It may be cold in our homes. There are many changes, but they have not changed the most important thing. Because the most important thing is not outside, but inside. And it remains unchanged. And that’s why we will hold out. We will endure.

Everyone. Different. But Ukrainian men and women. Defenders. Everyone who knows: we must be worthy, we must not give up. Because Ukrainians are not used to giving up. Because they have dignity. And therefore – freedom!

This remains unchanged. We will overcome everything. Endure. Survive. Prevail!

And on the Day of Dignity and Freedom, we will gather on Maidan Nezalezhnosti. Where dignity and freedom have always been protected. On the granite, on the barricades during the Orange Revolution and the Revolution of Dignity. Where we celebrated the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence. And where we will celebrate the Victory Day of Ukraine. In a peaceful Kyiv, in a peaceful Ukraine, I will speak about the important. About the main thing. What remained unchanged. And will remain unchanged.

Glory to Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

This day is coming to an end – already the 270th day of the full-scale war. I will report briefly.

The first topic is the frontline. The fiercest battles, as before, are in the Donetsk region. Although there are fewer attacks today due to the deterioration of the weather, the number of Russian shelling occasions remains, unfortunately, extremely high.

Luhansk region – little by little we are moving forward with battles. As of now, there have been almost 400 shelling occasions in the east since the beginning of the day. Thank you to each and everyone who holds positions and helps our defense forces.

South – we are holding the line, consistently and very calculatedly destroying the potential of the occupiers.

The second topic is energy. Restoration of networks and technical supply capabilities, demining of power transmission lines, repairs – everything goes on round the clock.

We managed to alleviate the situation in some regions where there were a lot of real problems yesterday. This evening there are stabilization shutdowns in 15 regions and in Kyiv as well. The largest are Vinnytsia, Sumy, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv regions and the capital. We are doing everything possible and impossible to return normal life to Odesa, Kharkiv and all our cities and communities.

And I thank all energy workers, utility workers, regional administrations – everyone who works for the sake of Ukrainians.

The third topic is foreign policy. Today I addressed the participants of the summit of the International Organization of La Francophonie. These are more than 50 participating countries, and more than 20 observer countries. Africa, Asia, America, Europe – everywhere they hear Ukraine, everywhere they know our proposals on how to restore peace to Ukraine and how to restore stability to the world.

I will say right away that the Ukrainian peace formula is perceived extremely positively in the world. It is quite constructive and realistic – in contrast to the empty and mendacious Russian rhetoric about their alleged readiness for some kind of negotiations.

We will do everything to make the world accept the Ukrainian peace formula.

There will be several important international addresses in the upcoming week. And we are already preparing.

And one more thing.

Traditionally, the Day of Agricultural Workers is celebrated in Ukraine on the third Sunday of November. Was there ever an international context to this day? This year it’s definitely there.

This year, many people in the world saw how important the contribution of Ukrainians to global food security is. The lives of millions of people in different countries directly depend on our agricultural sector.

I thank all our people who work on the ground, who provide Ukraine and the world with the essentials. Thanks to you and your work, we can find support for our state in those countries with which we do not yet have traditional relations. But we will have them, trust me.

Glory to all who fight for Ukraine!

Glory to everyone who works and helps!

Glory to Ukraine!