Tag: Speeches

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 1 October 2022.

Dear Ukrainians!

The enemy started this day with a deliberate and absolutely premeditated murder of Ukrainians in Zaporizhzhia. A missile attack on a civilian convoy of cars.

As of now, 30 dead are reported. Almost a hundred wounded and traumatized.

The Russian military knew where their missiles would hit. Non-humans did it. From the first to the last. From the one who gave this order and to everyone who executed this order. They will answer. For sure. Before the law and before people. People!

That is why we are confident of our victory. That is why we took the initiative in the war. That is why we’re getting tangible results on the battlefield right now… and that’s very important. Congratulations to the heroes!

As we remain human and gain support from people – from all the people of the world. From everyone who feels pain when they learn about the deliberate killing of innocent people.

Another farce took place in Moscow today. Something was celebrated there. They were chanting something there. They sang in the square. They were talking about Zaporizhzhia… When they themselves arranged such a thing in Zaporizhzhia. They are non-humans. Eternal memory to all those killed in Russian terrorist attacks!

Today, Ukraine made decisions to defend itself. All of them will be implemented. Decisions of the National Security and Defense Council and the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Headquarters.

I already reported in detail this afternoon about our request for an accelerated accession to join NATO. And about the obvious readiness of Ukraine for negotiations with the Russian Federation – but with another President of Russia, who will understand what is happening.

Now, I want to add something about the decision of the National Security and Defense Council regarding sanctions against Russian individuals and legal entities. There is a really long list, quite famous names.

However, we are not focused on volume, but on actually dismantling Russian influence and at the same time influencing the state of affairs in the Russian Federation itself.

Therefore, restrictions are introduced against several thousand individuals and entities. Sanctions of Ukraine and our partners are synchronized. New sanctions are being introduced against key persons and significant Russian enterprises.

Of course, sanctions will also be applied to those citizens of other countries who took part in the Russian farce on the occupied territory of our country.

Pseudo-referendums are elements of aggression against a sovereign state, and anyone involved in organizing or conducting this farce will be held accountable.

Today, I spoke with the Prime Ministers of Japan and Denmark. Of course, they condemned the new Russian steps towards escalation. Thanks to them for their support!

Thanks also to all the leaders of the partner states, to all the political and public figures of the world, who have already quite promptly spoken out in defense of Ukraine and international law!

I personally thank President Biden, Congress, our friends in Europe and everyone who is already strengthening sanctions against Russia and is already taking powerful steps to increase defense and financial support for Ukraine!

We must liberate our entire land, and this will be the best proof that international law and human values cannot be broken by any terrorist state, even one as insolent as Russia.

We have substantial results in the east of our country. There is already enough public information about this. Everyone has heard what is happening in Lyman, Donetsk region. These are steps that mean a lot to us.

And I am thankful to all our fighters for implementing this element of our defense plan! It is very important.

Today, I especially want to recognize the fighters of the 10th separate mountain assault brigade and the 54th separate mechanized brigade for their constant bravery and heroism in the Siversky and Bakhmut areas. And also our servicemen of the 214th separate rifle battalion, the Special Operations Forces and the 103rd separate ground defense brigade for the liberation of Yampil.

I am also thankful to our intelligence units – Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense, as well as the Security Service of Ukraine.

The path of our country is difficult. The path is clear. This is the path of independence, territorial integrity, integration with the civilized world and social development. The path of our enemy is also completely clear – defeat, shame and condemnation.

And one more. Every year on the last day of September, Ukraine celebrates Adoption Day. This, in my opinion, is an important day.

It is a day of special respect for those whose hearts are big enough to give family warmth to children left without parental care.

Today, I thank all such Ukrainian men and women! I dream that we will come to such a result, when every child of Ukraine will feel family warmth, no matter what the circumstances of life are.

Eternal glory to our beautiful people! Eternal glory to everyone who fights for Ukraine! We work for one thing – victory!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 30 September 2022.

Ukrainians!

And all our friends and allies!

De facto allies. Today, here in Kyiv, in the heart of our country, we are taking a decisive step for the security of the entire community of free nations.

We see who threatens us. Who is ready to kill and maim. Who in order to expand his zone of control does not stop at any savagery.

On February 24, the first full-scale attack on Ukraine was carried out. The first!

Russia would not have stopped at our borders if we had not stopped it. Other states would have been under attack. The Baltic countries, Poland, Moldova and Georgia, Kazakhstan…

Russia claimed to subjugate various nations of Europe and Asia. Claimed six months ago. This criminal ambition is breaking down in Ukraine. It was broken down in the suburbs of Kyiv and Chernihiv. In “Azovstal”. In the Sumy region and Kharkiv region. On Zmiinyi Island. It will be broken down in Donbas and in the south of Ukraine when we liberate them. Definitely – in Crimea, in the free Ukrainian Crimea.

The entire territory of our country will be liberated from this enemy – the enemy not only of Ukraine, but also of life itself, humanity, law and truth.

Russia already knows this. It feels our power. It sees that it is here, in Ukraine, that we prove the strength of our values. And that is why it is in a hurry. Organizes this farce with the attempted annexation. Tries to steal something that does not belong to it. Wants to rewrite history and redraw borders with murders, torture, blackmail and lies.

Ukraine will not allow that.

Today I held a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. The meeting of the National Security and Defense Council has just ended. We have a decision.

First – it is only the path of strengthening Ukraine and ousting the occupiers from our entire territory that restores peace. We will complete this path.

Second – Ukraine was and remains a leader in negotiation efforts. It was our state that always offered Russia to reach an agreement on coexistence on equal, honest, decent and fair terms. It is obvious that this is impossible with this Russian president. He does not know what dignity and honesty are. Therefore, we are ready for a dialogue with Russia, but already with another president of Russia.

And third – we must de jure record everything we have already achieved de facto. It is in Ukraine that the fate of democracy in the confrontation with tyranny is being decided. It is here, with the firmness of our state borders, that we can secure the firmness of the borders of all European states. We can guarantee that no one else will dare to bring war back to our continent.

It is here, in Ukraine, that the values of our Euro-Atlantic community have obtained real vital energy. The strength of the nation that fights for freedom, and the strength of the nations that help in this fight.

We are de facto allies. This has already been achieved. De facto, we have already completed our path to NATO. De facto, we have already proven interoperability with the Alliance’s standards, they are real for Ukraine – real on the battlefield and in all aspects of our interaction.

We trust each other, we help each other and we protect each other. This is what the Alliance is. De facto.

Today, Ukraine is applying to make it de jure. Under a procedure consistent with our significance for the protection of our entire community. Under an accelerated procedure.

We know it’s possible. We have seen Finland and Sweden start accession to the Alliance this year without a Membership Action Plan.

This is fair. This is also fair for Ukraine. This is the consolidation at the level of the treaty of what has already been achieved in life and what are our values.

We understand that this requires the consensus of all members of the Alliance. We understand that it is necessary to reach such a consensus. And therefore, while this is happening, we offer to implement our proposals regarding security guarantees for Ukraine and all of Europe in accordance with the Kyiv Security Compact, which was developed and presented to our partners.

Security has no alternatives. But determination is needed to guarantee it.

We are taking our decisive step by signing Ukraine’s application for accelerated accession to NATO.

Today, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine adopted a decision to impose sanctions on significant individuals and legal entities of Russia who did not have the courage to speak out in defense of humanity and international law, or who in one way or another are involved in aggressive steps against Ukraine and the community of democratic nations.

And at the same time, I am addressing the people’s deputies of Ukraine: at the next session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, a draft law on the nationalization of all Russian assets will be considered, which should significantly simplify this procedure. Please endorse this bill without delay.

We are completing the dismantling of Russian influence on Ukraine, Europe and the world.

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 29 September 2022.

Ukrainians!

We continue our diplomatic activity to ensure that all partners of Ukraine and the countries of the world understand what new steps towards escalation are being taken by the terrorist state these days.

I spoke today with President of Poland Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi. I had a meeting with the President of the National Assembly of France. I am grateful to our partners for clearly condemning the Russian sham referenda, for condemning the attempted annexation of our territory, which the Kremlin is currently preparing.

I am grateful to our Polish brothers for their invaluable defense support and our cooperation for the sake of common security. And today, in a conversation with Andrzej Duda, with Mr. President, we discussed how we can further strengthen our relations.

We also discussed cross-border cooperation. We must do everything so that our nations face no obstacles for economic and any other relations.

I would like to thank Prime Minister Draghi for his principled condemnation of Russia’s steps towards escalation. We exchanged views on further steps in our bilateral relations with Italy and in multilateral relations at the EU level that could give all of us in Europe more protection.

The first ever visit to Ukraine by the President of the National Assembly of France is taking place at a truly historic time. At a time when solidarity between leaders at all levels is critical to the future of a democratic world. I thanked Mrs. President of the National Assembly of France and her fellow parliamentarians for their willingness to continue to help us defend the independence of Ukraine and the freedom of the whole of Europe.

I talked today with the university community and public figures of Switzerland on the basis of the University of Zurich. It is very important that Switzerland and its citizens do not remain neutral, and support our aspiration to live – to live freely and in peace.

Everyone in the world understands well what such an attempted annexation would actually mean. It will not mean what the Kremlin hopes for.

Today I explained this to the peoples of the Caucasus, Siberia, and other indigenous peoples of Russia. And now I repeat for everyone in this country: Russia will not get a new territory of Ukraine. Russia will annex itself to the catastrophe that it has brought to the occupied territory of our country. Russia will equate itself with the so-called “DPR” and “LPR”, and will completely finish off those institutions of normal statehood that still remained in Russia.

The occupier fills the occupied territory of Ukraine with graves, and there are more and more graves on the territory of Russia itself. The occupier sets up torture chambers in the occupied territory – and will fill the entire territory of Russia with torture chambers. This is the only way the Russian police and Russian special services will work now. The law in Russia has been obliterated. And those who brought all these deaths, torture, rape from Russia will take them home.

Everywhere in the seized territory, the occupier destroys any basis for life – economy, social sphere, culture…

Depriving the entire Russian society of a normal economy, a decent life and respect for any human value will be the price for the fact that one person in Russia wants this war to continue.

This can still be stopped. But to stop it, you have to stop that one in Russia who wants war more than life. Your life, citizens of Russia.

Today, the Russian army inflicted another vile attack on civilians in Mykolaiv – a shell exploded near a public transport stop. There are dead, there are wounded… Again shelling of Kharkiv, the Sumy region, fierce shelling in Donbas, in the south of Ukraine.

All this can be stopped in only one way: liberation. And before Russia came, there was normal life everywhere on Ukrainian land. And when Russia leaves, when we oust it, normal life will return. This is the only way. This is the way to our victory.

We cannot know how long it will take to complete this path. But we know that no Russian manipulation and no Russian crime can push us off this path.

Today we managed to release six more of our citizens from Russian captivity. I am thankful to everyone who ensures this work!

Today we have new results on the frontline.

Today we received additional elements of aid from partners.

It will continue to be so.

Tomorrow is another day of our struggle, another day on the path to victory. Will it be special for us? It will be another day that will bring us closer to security and peace, to restoration of our territorial integrity. Because millions of Ukrainians fight and work for this.

A special meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, which I convened, will take place tomorrow. There will be decisions.

We know how to react to any Russian actions.

And finally. This morning I honored the memory of all the victims of the Babyn Yar. Eternal memory to the victims of Nazism! Eternal damnation to those who repeat the crimes of the Nazis!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 28 September 2022.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Our key task now is to coordinate actions with partners in response to sham referenda organized by Russia and all related threats. This is not 2014. Everything is clear for everyone. And there will certainly be actions.

I’ve held a whole series of negotiations today. President of Türkiye Erdoğan, Chancellor of Germany Scholz, Prime Minister of Canada Trudeau, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Truss, Secretary-General of the UN Guterres, President of the European Council Charles Michel.

Thank you all for your clear and unequivocal support. Thank you all for understanding our position. Ukraine cannot and will not put up with any attempts by Russia to seize any part of our land.

I once again thanked President Erdoğan today for his help in freeing our people from Russian captivity. Commanders from Azovstal, who are in Türkiye, will soon be able to see their relatives. We are working on it.

Also, by the way, the implementation of the plan to help each of those recently released from captivity has already begun. They receive priority elements of assistance. First of all, it is medical support – they all need recovery after what they had to go through in captivity. This work is under the control of the Ombudsman, representatives of the Office, intelligence, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Ministry of Health, and the command of the Medical Forces. And we will extend the appropriate measures, which are being worked out in detail now, to all our people whom we free from the captivity of the occupiers.

I will emphasize once again: we remember all our people and try to free each and every one of them from captivity, not a single Ukrainian has been forgotten.

We discussed today with President Erdoğan our further defense cooperation, our response to all the aggressive steps that Russia has already taken and is still preparing to take.

We discussed a wide range of issues with the Chancellor of Germany – political, financial, defense, energy. In the defense topic, I emphasized that we are waiting for an anti-missile defense system from Germany – I’m grateful for the willingness to help with air defense. Other points of defense cooperation were also discussed in detail – there are quite a lot of them, they are clear. Of course, energy issues were touched upon, including the supply of gas to Europe and sabotage at the Nord Stream gas pipeline.

We discussed with Mr. Chancellor the preparation of the new sanctions package of the European Union – together we must make it really powerful, not symbolic. As of today, there is still something to add to the eighth sanctions package.

The conversation with the Prime Minister of Canada was, as always, very specific and concerned primarily how Canada can increase support for Ukraine. Among other things, demining was discussed. Canada has both the appropriate technology and the appropriate humanitarian ambitions.

I invited Prime Minister Trudeau to lead a global effort to clear our land of Russian mines and projectiles. Due to the Russian war, Ukrainian land is one of the most contaminated by mines in the world. And while there are similar examples of large-scale mine contamination around the world, we must do what others have not done: we must set a precedent for rapid and large-scale demining, not leave this problem for decades. I thank Canada for its willingness to help us.

With Mrs. Liz Truss, we discussed the possibilities of Britain in enhancing sanctions on Russia, as well as in increasing defense aid for our country. I am grateful for the principled condemnation of the Russian farce under the guise of a referendum, for the full support and willingness to move with us towards the return of freedom to all our people – in all parts of Ukraine, without any exceptions.

The conversation with the Secretary-General of the UN also concerned sham referenda and Russia’s apparent preparation of the ground for an attempt to annex our territory. These brutal violations of the UN Charter must be punished.

We discussed the implementation of our grain export initiative with Mr. Guterres. We agreed that the initiative should not only be preserved, not only protected from any attempts to disrupt it, but also expanded. Ukraine is ready to significantly increase the export of our agricultural products to the countries that need them and the corresponding interaction with the UN for humanitarian purposes and assistance to such countries as Somalia, Ethiopia, etc.

I have just finished a call with Charles Michel. As always, it was a conversation between real friends. Thank you for your full support in the issue of sham referenda and for your willingness to extend aid to Ukraine. Of course, we also discussed the preparation of new sanctions.

Tomorrow I will continue intensive communication with the leaders.

And today I want to once again thank the United States of America and personally President Biden for the new package of defense support for our country in the amount of more than 1 billion dollars. This is really important.

If someone in Russia thinks they can “get away” with everything they are doing in the occupied territory, if someone in Russia hopes the world will abandon its own values, frightened by another Russian announcement of annexation, they in Russia are wrong. Each subsequent escalating step by the occupier only confirms the fact that the world must act even tougher.

In the evening, I signed another decree awarding our defenders. State awards were awarded to: 71 warriors of the National Guard, 21 employees of the State Emergency Service, 52 border guards. 320 combatants were awarded for their brave and effective actions during the liberation of the districts of the Kharkiv region from the occupation.

As for the situation at the front, everything is clear to us. Therefore, I repeat again… For those who understand only Russian.

If you want to live, run. If you want to live, surrender. If you want to live, fight on your streets for your freedom. Everything was taken from you anyway. Or maybe any of you have oil rigs? Palaces? Vineyards? Maybe yachts? Or some bank? What are you fighting for? The only thing you have is loans, something to eat in the evening and now there’s mobilization. Fight for what’s yours! Stay away from our land, our soul and our culture.

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 27 September 2022.

Ukrainians!

I have just taken part in a meeting of the UN Security Council. This is a special meeting convened at our initiative. I am grateful to all partners who supported the convening of this meeting and clearly spoke in defense of Ukraine and international law.

Fundamental norms of international law! The crime of aggression against our state, the farce in the occupied territory, which the occupiers call referenda, the preparation of another attempt to annex Ukrainian territory – all these are steps Russia is taking to finish off the UN Charter.

I called on the members of the Security Council to stop the one who sets himself against everyone in the world. It is possible. It is possible right now, when the final destructive steps have not yet been taken.

I emphasized at the Security Council meeting: Russia’s implementation of the so-called Crimean scenario and another attempt to annex Ukrainian territory will mean that there is nothing to talk about with this President of Russia. This is clear and obvious.

None of Russia’s criminal actions will change anything for Ukraine.

We recognize the UN Charter, we recognize the basic principles of coexistence of peoples. And we will continue to act in order to protect normal life in Ukraine, in Europe, and in the world.

We will act to protect our people in the Kherson region, in the Zaporizhzhia region, in Donbas, in the currently occupied areas of the Kharkiv region, and in Crimea.

This farce in the occupied territory cannot even be called an imitation of referenda.

We knew in advance what would be drawn instead of the result. Even intelligence didn’t have to work very hard. The agreed figures for this farce were thrown into the media. Russia is not even hiding.

The only rational response to such audacity of the occupier is even more support for Ukraine. And I am thankful to our partners who confirm such support: defense, financial, sanctions.

I spoke today with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. I thanked him for his firm condemnation of the Russian sham referenda. The situation on the frontline and further support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine by the Alliance members were discussed in detail.

Every new Russian strike on Ukrainian cities and our civilian objects proves that the existing defense support for Ukraine is not enough. We make this clear to our partners. And they hear us. And this is important.

Today in Kyiv, I held talks with the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France. France is making significant efforts to really help our country and to solve the crises created by Russia. The situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP was discussed in detail with the minister. Our defense needs were discussed in detail. We also discussed in detail our joint reaction to each further provocative step by Russia with sham referenda.

Today in Moscow, yet another false statement was made regarding a very important achievement of Ukraine and our partners – the restoration of our seaborne grain export. It is obvious that Russia is preparing the ground for an attempt to disrupt the grain initiative. We inform partners about this.

Export statistics is crystal clear and available to everyone in the international community.

More than 5 million tons of agricultural products were exported from our three ports. 232 vessels departed. If we take only African countries, our agricultural products have already been exported to Algeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, Libya, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia.

It is necessary to act immediately so that Russia does not again put these and other countries in the conditions of a food crisis.

And I am grateful to everyone who opposes the Russian destabilization policy! I am grateful to everyone who helps protect our state!

As for the frontline, I will say it briefly and for now without details, although they will be good: we are moving forward and liberating our land.

Glory to Ukraine!

The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 29 September 2022.

Peoples of the Caucasus!

Now I am in that part of Kyiv, where Imam Shamil, the hero of Dagestan and the entire Caucasus, lived in the 1860s. As you can see, Ukraine knows how to honor your heroes. We preserve the memory of those places that combined the cultures of our peoples.

This is the center of our capital. One of the hundreds of Ukrainian cities against which the Russian authorities direct missiles, bombs and troops. The Caucasus knows what this means. The Caucasus saw it.

For 218 days, we have been defending ourselves against those who have more missiles and people than we do, but who are completely devoid of decency. This is a vile war on the part of Russia, a criminal one. And we do everything to protect our people and the independence of Ukraine. This is our sacred duty. Duty to our parents. Duty to our children. Duty to all generations of our people – those who lived and those who will live on our land. We don’t need what’s not ours!

Already 58,500 Russian soldiers have died in Ukraine. They came to kill us and died. You are not told this number. You are being lied to about the alleged death toll of about six thousand. 58.5! That’s the truth. All of them died because one person wanted this war. Only one, which many people serve.

Peoples of the Caucasus! All peoples on the territory of Russia! You have no reason to be among these many who still serve the one who wants this war. You do not have to die in Ukraine. Your sons do not have to die in Ukraine. You have no such obligation. Not to your parents, not to your children, not to your future, not to the future of your land. And you know it.

We see that you are resisting the criminal mobilization with which the Russian authorities want to cover up their failure. The failure of their regular army, their criminal orders. You are being lied to that there are allegedly no such failures.

Instead of ending the senseless war for Russia, the Russian authorities are trying to send new people to replace the dead. What awaits them all? You know the answer.

Ukraine will continue to defend itself and will win in this war waged against us. Because we are on our land. The truth is on our side. And the whole civilized world is with us. We are fighting for what is true for any people on the planet – for life and freedom, for the right to happiness for all our families, for all our children.

Russia was left alone. It is already isolated and will be condemned for this war. “Anyone who raises a weapon against the truth raises it to his own destruction,” the Kremlin seems not to be aware of these words by Imam Shamil. But these words should be known in the Caucasus. They should be heard in Siberia and in all other lands from which people are being sent to this war.

And now there’s mobilization. Fight to avoid death! Defend your freedom now in the streets and squares, so that later you don’t have to fight in the mountains and forests simply for your right to live, when the Russian authorities start the next waves of mobilization.

Did you believe that they would take only 300 thousand people? The one who started this war will not stop at the first wave of mobilization, there will be more. He will try to take other lives as well.

He doesn’t care about people. He respects neither the living nor the dead…

Thousands of bodies of dead Russian soldiers from various regions remain in Ukraine. They rot in the fields, they are stored in morgues.

Those that were not burned by the Russian army itself. The only army in the world that carries around mobile crematoria to dispose of the bodies of its fallen soldiers when it has time to do so. But now it is fleeing so fast that it even leaves tanks and MLRS behind, not just the bodies of the dead.

Just think about what it has come to! We are forced to start informational work on conveying to the citizens of Russia, who are being mobilized now, a special thesis: at least get a tattoo with your name and surname so that we know how to find your relatives when you are killed and do not even have an army token with you. The Russian authorities send people to this war without army tokens, often without documents! They do this on purpose to make it easier to lie to you about how many people actually die here. This is their special operation. Special operation on lies, terror, extermination of indigenous peoples.

During the first week of criminal mobilization, more men fled from Russia than the Russian authorities were officially going to send to war. And how does the Kremlin react to this? It is sending troops to the border of Russia against the very citizens of Russia! This is a disgrace! And lies with some sham referenda, with some confessions and annexations will end in even greater disgrace for Russia.

No one has to take part in a disgraceful war. Dagestanis do not have to die in Ukraine. Chechens, Ingush, Ossetians, Circassians and any other peoples who came under the Russian flag. In total, almost 200 different peoples… You know who sends them to Ukraine. The one who sends wants to make them “cargo 200”.

Do you want that? No? I’m sure you want to live. I’m sure you’re tired of being lied to. I’m sure you know that it is necessary to fight now!

In order for Russian citizens to go to war, they are artificially driven into poverty. Into loans. People are intimidated by repressions, harassed by propaganda. You can change it. You just need to understand who is a real symbol for you, who is a hero for you, who is the pride of your history, and who just wants to take advantage of you.

Fight! And you are sure to win!