Tag: Volodymyr Zelenskyy

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

Dear Ukrainians!

Today was a good and mostly sunny day on the territory of our state. It was about 20 degrees and sunny in large parts of the country.

Unfortunately, it was cloudy in Crimea. Although it is also warm. But no matter what the clouds are, Ukrainians know what to do. And they know that our future is sunny.

This is a future without occupiers. Throughout our territory, in particular in Crimea.

If the occupiers flee while they have a chance, this will be the best option for them. If they are forced to stay, any occupier can find a way to surrender to Ukrainian captivity.

We guarantee the preservation of lives to all Russian military servicemen who voluntarily lay down their arms and surrender.
Ukraine always adheres to all international norms and conventions.

We will not leave any other options for the occupiers to rely on.

And again and again I want to thank all our citizens who are fighting and working for peace for Ukraine, for the liberation of our entire land.

This day, the movement of our military, the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Guard and all those who take part in active actions – actions in the east, actions in the south of our country – continued.

We are holding positions in Donbas, in particular in the Bakhmut direction, where now it is very, very hard, very tough fighting. Today, I would like to once again mention our soldiers from the Kholodny Yar 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade for their courage and sustained power in this direction.

Thanks to all our anti-aircraft gunners and everyone involved in the air defense of Ukraine.

We are doing everything we can to defend Ukrainian skies, and it is one of the highest priorities for our diplomats to speed up the decision of our partners to provide Ukraine with modern and effective anti-aircraft systems in sufficient quantity.

We will definitely come to that.

In the de-occupied territories, we do not slow down the pace of reconstruction work for a single day. It’s transport, it’s electricity, it’s gas supply, it’s postal services, social benefits – wherever there is a real possibility to provide it, we provide it.

I must ask all Ukrainians in the territory where the occupiers were to be especially attentive to the mine threat.

Our explosive ordnance disposal teams, our bomb disposal engineers are working at their maximum, but after the occupiers, a very large area is contaminated with mines. Please do not ignore mine warnings, do not visit areas closed due to danger, please report any mines or unexploded ordnance found to the police, emergency services or local authorities.

And I want to add one more thing.

Lawyer’s Day is celebrated in Ukraine today. Not everyone who has a law degree works in law. But among those who still work in this field, there are people whose contribution is truly historic. Very important.

Those who investigate into the crimes of the occupiers. Those who help to restore justice, in particular by working in the field of human rights. Those who do everything so that every Russian murderer and the aggressor state itself are inevitably punished for this war. I thank all of you for this very important work!

I’m thankful to investigators, prosecutors, human rights defenders, lawyers, civil servants, and employees of public organizations.
I’m thankful to everyone who teaches law, fights for the rule of law and helps people defend their rights, freedoms and legitimate interests.

Justice for Ukraine, for Europe, for the world must and will be restored. Thanks to our indomitable, strong, conscientious and educated people.

Eternal glory to all who defend Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Dear Ukrainians!

An important decision was made today. It’s fair. Legally perfect. Historical.

Ukraine confirmed its respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Japan, including its Northern territories, which are still under Russian occupation.

Today, I signed the relevant decree. There is a corresponding statement of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. And we call on everyone in the world to make similar decisions.

Russia has no right to these territories. Everyone in the world knows this well. And we must finally act.

We must de-occupy all the lands that the Russian occupiers are trying to keep for themselves.

Only in this way can we return the full force to international law. The UN Charter and the entire complex of treaties and conventions on which the international legal order is based will work only when the occupiers lose and the nations in the world are protected from any occupations.

With this war against Ukraine, against the international legal order, against our people, Russia has put itself in conditions – and it is now only a matter of time – of the real liberation of everything that once was seized and is now under the control of the Kremlin.

Russia, by its example, will show all potential aggressors of the world that an aggressive terrorist war in our time is a way to weaken and inevitably destroy the one who starts such a war.

The aggressor must lose. So be it. So that such wars do not happen again and that the peace is really long-term. Nothing should be left for the invaders.

I believe: justice will be restored for our partners as well.

This week alone, our soldiers liberated 776 square kilometers of territory in the east of our country and 29 settlements, including six in Luhansk region, from the Russian pseudo-referendum. In total, 2,434 square kilometers of our land and 96 settlements have already been liberated since the beginning of this offensive operation.

And today I want to mention the fighters of the 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, the 80th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade and the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade and note their heroic efforts to liberate Ukrainian land.

There are also good results in the south of Ukraine this week – we are liberating our land and our people there from the pseudo-referendum every day.

We will certainly come to the lands that were occupied by Russia earlier.

I’m thankful to all our defenders who ensure this!

During these 225 days, 29,887 Ukrainian soldiers were awarded state awards. A total of 178 soldiers were awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.

Such a scale of courage and heroism of our fighters unequivocally proves that Ukraine cannot be stopped.

And each of the Russian attacks, all manifestations of Russian terror – against Zaporizhzhia, against Kharkiv, against Mykolaiv, against Donbas and all our other territories – only prove that the liberation of our entire land is the only foundation of peace and security for all Ukrainians.

Today, I took part in the meeting of the European Council. I thanked our partners for the eighth package of sanctions against Russia and for all the support for Ukraine that is already provided.

We are working together to increase our common capabilities – of everyone in Europe.

Preparations have already begun for important events planned for next week, both in Ukraine and at the international level.

It will be a strong week for our state, it will be a strong week for our defense.

Eternal glory to all those who fight and work for peace for Ukraine!

Eternal glory to our heroes!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Ukrainians!

Today is the day of active diplomacy. We inform our partners about the latest manifestations of Russian terror. About missile strikes on Zaporizhzhia and other cities of Ukraine. About the use of Iranian drones against our people and infrastructure.

For some reason, Iran claims that there are no Iranian-made drones in Ukraine. People see them in the sky. We shoot them down. But we are told that there are allegedly no Iranian drones in Ukraine. Well, we’ll find ways to ensure that there aren’t any left indeed.

We also provide information about our movement on the frontline. Since October 1, more than half a thousand square kilometers of territory and dozens of settlements have been liberated from the Russian sham referendum and stabilized only in the Kherson region.

There are also successes in the eastern direction. The day will surely come when we will report on successes in the Zaporizhzhia region as well – in those areas that are still under the control of the occupiers. The day will come when we will also talk about the liberation of Crimea.

This perspective is obvious. It is also obvious that there is still some way to go. There is still a lot to endure, a lot to do. Both for Ukrainians and for our partners – all who value freedom and international law.

I’ve talked today with representatives of political, business and expert circles of Australia. I felt full support and interest in our victory. By the way, Australia is among the top 10 countries that provide us with defense aid. This is a very significant contribution to the protection of our state, the international legal order and humanity as such.

I’ve addressed the European leaders at the summit of the European Political Community held today in Prague. I called on them to do everything so that this new format of our cooperation in Europe, which unites different states: from Iceland to Azerbaijan, from Spain to Turkey, could become not just a gathering of politicians, but a gathering of peacemakers. Europe needs a community of those who know how to protect peace and put any terrorists in their place.

These days, the European Union is moving towards the introduction of the eighth package of sanctions against Russia. In particular, this package envisages limiting the sea transportation of Russian oil and creates a toolkit to limit the oil revenues of the terrorist state. This is good. But this is only the beginning.

We must ensure that the terrorist state does not receive any profit from the sale of oil and gas. So that not a single oil dollar and not a single gas euro could go to the continuation of the Russian war against Ukraine and the entire civilized world. I am confident that it will be ensured in due time.

And I thank all Europeans, all in the free world, who work for this result. Who promote the necessary political decisions and who create the necessary economic alternatives to Russian energy resources.

I will continue working in this direction tomorrow. I will address the participants of the meeting of the European Council.

Today in Kyiv I met with Samantha Power, head of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). We discussed the existing and prospective programs of our cooperation, the implementation of our plan for the rapid reconstruction of Ukraine. The main focus of these programs is security. And we will soon introduce this new security approach to our civil infrastructure to the public.

I thanked Mrs. Power for allocating funds to prepare our infrastructure for the winter period, in particular heating.

I held a meeting today with IAEA Head Grossi, who arrived in Kyiv. It is clear that our negotiations primarily concerned the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant captured by Russian terrorists. But in fact, this topic is much broader. It concerns not only Ukraine and not only in the context of radiation safety.

Of course, any decisions of the current head of Russia regarding the Zaporizhzhia station and any attempts by Russia to transfer the station to its alleged ownership are worthless and, frankly speaking, stupid. This is a nuclear power plant. This is not some palace, Yukos or something else that the Russian leadership has already managed to steal.

Only Ukrainian specialists can guarantee that there will be no radiation incidents at the Zaporizhzhia station. And it was important to hear from Mr. Grossi that the international community will only contact Ukraine regarding the ZNPP, because it is Ukrainian property. Was, is and will be.

Now there are about five hundred occupiers at the station. And this is nothing but five hundred risks of disaster. The world understands this. And I am grateful for the support of everyone who is fighting for the return of full Ukrainian control over the station and for its complete demilitarization.

Another aspect of this topic is electricity itself. And if the Zaporizhzhia station is not working, we in Ukraine face certain difficulties. We are getting a situation where we do not have a surplus of electricity, which we can, in particular, export to EU countries.

This is a disadvantage for the people of the EU, who lose a reliable source of energy supply. This is a disadvantage for us, Ukrainians. We are honest about it. We say honestly that all of us in Europe must fight for our interests together – in complete unity.

I thank everyone who helps Ukraine!

I thank everyone who fights and works for our victory!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 6 October 2022.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

I held a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief today. The main item on the agenda is our movement towards the liberation of all Ukrainian land and everything that is necessary for the implementation of our defense operation. The supply of weapons and ammunition, interaction with partners, material provision, countering new types of weapons that the occupiers have…

Of course, I cannot disclose specific issues that were discussed by the Staff. But most of the reports, accepted reports and approved plans will definitely please Ukrainians. And they will definitely upset the occupiers.

Because they will be responsible for all their evil. They will be responsible before our weapons, the Ukrainian court and international law. None of them will avoid it.

By the way, today I want to celebrate the personnel of the operative-strategic group “Oleksandriya” for creating conditions for a successful offensive, for planning and preparing active actions in the Kherson region. Those of our actions that already yield a tangible result. And there will be more.

Only during this day in the Kherson region, such settlements as Novovoskresenske, Novohryhorivka and Petropavlivka were liberated from the sham referendum and stabilized. The movement continues.

I also want to celebrate the warriors of our Air Forces, who today managed to shoot down six Iranian-made drones that the occupiers tried to use against our cities. Three drones were shot down by anti-aircraft troops of the 302nd anti-aircraft missile Kharkiv regiment, and three more were shot down by our fighter pilots from the 204th Sevastopol tactical aviation brigade. Thanks for the precision, guys!

And now I will address the occupiers.

Even if you find some other weapon somewhere in the world with the same “natural” name for your “Russian world”, like these Iranian “Shahed”, with which you are trying to bomb our cities, such as Bila Tserkva… It won’t help you anyway. You have already lost.

You’ve lost because even now, on the 224th day of the full-scale war, you have to explain to your society why all this is needed: this war, the false mobilization and self-destruction of all the prospects of your people.

When people feel they are right and when they are on their own land, they themselves know everything. They do not need fanatic lectures on “alternative history” and political information sessions every day – either at a meeting with teachers, or at a meeting about the progress of seasonal harvesting work.

Ukrainians know what they are fighting for. And more and more citizens of Russia are realizing that they must die simply because one person does not want to end the war.

It’s obvious who will win.

Today in Lyman, Sviatohirsk and Yarova of the Donetsk region, another sign of the return to normal life was added – we resumed the payment of pensions there. We also provide food kits and humanitarian aid. The return of the Ukrainian flag means that a peaceful and socially secure life is once again possible for Donbas and all other territories that were temporarily occupied by Russia.

Today, we have several events that strongly confirm the world’s faith in the future of Ukraine, the world’s trust in our strength.

First, we are starting Ukraine’s accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. It is one of the most prestigious global organizations, it unites 38 strongest states. These are democracies, these are market economies, this is the majority of the world’s economic potential. From Austria to Japan, from the United States of America to South Korea, from Canada to Türkiye. Ukraine will be among them in this format as well.

We submitted our application for admission, it was endorsed by the Organization. Ukraine received the special status of the acceding country. And we will fulfill all the necessary conditions for full membership.

And already this year, the regional office of the Organization will start working in Kyiv. For us, this will mean another powerful line of economic, technological and value cooperation with the global community.

The second event: together with our friends – Spain and Portugal – we submit a bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

This is our joint bid. The chances of its success are quite high. And it’s not just that our countries meet the criteria that must be complied with in order to gain the right to host the championship. The point is also that it will be very symbolic when three countries of the European Union: Spain, Portugal and Ukraine, will be able to hold the World Cup together.

I spoke today with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. A very positive conversation. I thanked him for his support. We coordinated our next joint steps and interaction.

I had a very substantive meeting in the afternoon regarding our preparations for the winter season.

We are fully aware of all risks. And we know that the occupiers are also… preparing for winter.

At all levels of government, scenarios are being worked out to protect people. We speak honestly: winter will be difficult. But in order to endure it, we accumulate gas, coal and everything else that is necessary. We are working to be ready.

And it is important that our partners approach this period with the same preparedness.

The more we do together now to bring peace closer, the more we cooperate and put pressure on Russia, the safer this winter can be for all of us in Europe.

I will talk about this in particular tomorrow in my speech at the first summit of the European political community, which will be held in Prague.

In addition, tomorrow I will speak with representatives of one of the most esteemed think tanks in the English-speaking world – the Lowy Institute in Australia.

There will be other diplomatic activities.

I thank everyone who fights and works for our victory!

I thank everyone who helps Ukraine and puts pressure on Russia for peace!

We will definitely win.

Glory to Ukraine!

 

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 5 October 2022.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Today we’ve got some good news both from the frontline and from the diplomatic front.

First: the Ukrainian army is carrying out a pretty fast and powerful advance in the south of our country as part of the current defense operation. Dozens of settlements have already been liberated from the Russian sham referendum this week alone. In Kherson region, Kharkiv region, Luhansk region and Donetsk region altogether.

In particular, according to the military reports from the Kherson region: the settlements of Lyubymivka, Khreshchenivka, Zolota Balka, Bilyaivka, Ukrainka, Velyka and Mala Oleksandrivka, and Davydiv Brid were liberated from the occupier and stabilized. And this is far from a complete list…

Our warriors do not stop. And it’s only a matter of time before we oust the occupier from all our land.

I’ve held a series of important negotiations today.

First, in the afternoon, I spoke with the Prime Minister of India. I informed Mr. Modi about the situation on the frontline, about the success of our military. I presented in detail our view of Russia’s recent escalation steps. It is the Kremlin that is doing absolutely everything for this war to end only on the battlefield, not at the negotiating table.

Russia responds to various Ukrainian proposals to stop aggression and liberate our territory with terror, criminal mobilization and political farce. And this is a threat to any state in any part of the world. After all, if someone tries to steal the territory of a neighboring people, then some others may have a similar desire.

And that is why we call on all subjects of international relations who respect international law to stand up for its basic principles and confirm their respect, in particular, for the principle of the inviolability of borders and the territorial integrity of states.

I believe this is the same fundamental principle for India as it is for Ukraine.

Also this afternoon I spoke with Giorgia Meloni, leader of the Brothers of Italy political force that won the recent elections by a landslide. It was a very substantive conversation on the ways to further increase our interstate cooperation and strengthen our capabilities – both of Ukraine and Italy.

On behalf of all Ukrainians, I thanked Italy for the powerful packages of defense support. We are looking forward to Mrs. Meloni’s official visit to Kyiv.

And in the evening I spoke with U.S. President Biden. First of all, I thanked him for another package of defense support for our country, in particular for new HIMARS. And in general, I noted that the successes of our military – all successes in returning freedom to our people – are our joint successes, our joint victories.

Due to the unity of Ukraine, the United States of America and all our partners in the free world, today freedom has the highest strength in decades and demonstrates concrete victories in the confrontation with tyranny.

Of course, the key aspects of our cooperation outside the defense sphere were also discussed with President Biden, in particular financial support – in particular, the support package in the amount of more than 12 billion dollars. We also discussed political steps, cooperation in international organizations.

And I was especially pleased to hear President Biden’s words that our servicemen inspire the whole world, our people inspire the whole world. And rightly so. Our victory in this war will show how much Ukraine can contribute to the global strength of freedom, the global strength of democracy.

I thank everyone who fights and works for our victory! Today, I would especially like to celebrate the concerted and heroic actions of the warriors of the 35th separate marine brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Ostrogradsky, the 46th separate assault brigade and the 57th separate motorized infantry brigade named after Kosh otaman Kost Hordiyenko. Thank you guys!

And I always thank everyone who helps our defenders protect freedom!

And one more important emphasis.

I signed a decree designating null and void all decrees of the President of the Russian Federation and all acts adopted to implement these decrees for attempted annexation of our territory from 2014 until today. Any Russian decisions, any treaties with which they try to seize our land – all this is worthless.

Glory to Ukraine!

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

They are trying to destroy us and wipe us off the face of the earth. Destroy our people who are sleeping at home in Zaporizhzhia. Kill people who go to work in Dnipro and Kyiv. The air alarm does not subside throughout Ukraine. There are missiles hitting. Unfortunately, there are dead and wounded. Please do not leave shelters. Take care of yourself and your loved ones. Let’s hold on and be strong.

The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 8 October 2022.

Dear friends!

Mr. Presidents!

Thank you for this opportunity to address the members and guests of your security forum.

Security is a key issue of our time. And, without exaggeration, everything depends on what answer we offer now.

Not only our state institutions, our sovereignty, borders, and political system depend on it. It is literally about life. About peace for all of us.

For the first time in many decades, we found ourselves in such conditions when we have to defend the right to life for our nations. Not just one or another living conditions, not just one or another concept for life in Europe or in certain regions, but life itself.

Russia’s war against Ukraine is only a harbinger of what can await any state on our continent or in other parts of the world that this aggressor can reach.

And I am grateful to everyone who understands the meaning of Russian aggression and helps us – us as ourselves.

So, analyzing the elements of the Russian war against our state and the specific steps of the aggressor, we can draw conclusions about what forms and methods of protection we need for the sake of security.

The first is unity. This is the foundation. This is something that should always be not only formally, but also in essence. Not only at summits, but also in deeds. Not only with those with whom you are used to cooperating, but with everyone whose values are common and whose way of life is freedom.

Russia is afraid of our unity. So it goes to great lengths to break it.

But we are only strengthening our unity. And therefore, we cannot be conquered by Russia. Neither Ukraine, nor Montenegro, nor any other state of the free world.

Where real unity is achieved, there will be peace. Just as it will be in Ukraine.

The second is democracy. This is our character. We can see that the current leaders of Russia have an obsessive desire to break the principle of democratic change of power in all countries regarding which they have aggressive ambitions.

They do not recognize the results of elections and people’s movements when they lose influence because of them. And they try to stage coups or corrupt the political process when they choose a puppet to represent their interests. We have to strictly oppose this.

All European states must dismantle any Russian networks of influence. So that there is no spread of misinformation, corruption and criminal politics. It is no less important for the Balkans than for our part of Europe.

The third is independence. We should recognize the obvious at all levels in Europe and the world: Russia is not a threat to one, but to everyone. Therefore, everyone must achieve complete independence from Russia, so that it cannot turn dependence on it into shackles: economic dependence, energy dependence, political dependence – any.

The fourth is weapons. It sounds a little unusual in Europe, but now we see what kind of war Russia can make literally out of nothing.
Russia can block the sea for a country it wants to capture. It can burn cities and villages. It can arrange missile terror.

Look at the intensity of the war we are now waging for our defense. Take a look – and you will be able to estimate the amount of weapons that may be needed for defense in such a war, if Russia turns the territory of another country into a battlefield.

No matter how difficult it may be, we must ensure for Ukraine now, so that we can restore peace to all its citizens, and for Europe after this war such a volume of weapons, such a power of weapons, that Russia will never again have the desire to destroy peace.

And the fifth point is responsibility. For many years, the head of Russia and his entourage have felt complete impunity.

They destroyed democracy in their country. And they began to destroy everything around Russia. They are used to stealing what they like and buying those who were supposed to protect the national interests of this or that state from them.

They started a war against Ukraine in 2014 because they felt that they would not be punished for it. The war against Georgia showed them this.

They carried out a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, because they do not believe that the world will be able to hold them accountable not just for the crime of aggression against a sovereign state, but for any crime imaginable.

So to bring them to justice is to guarantee long-term peace after this war. The inevitability of punishment is one of the key principles of criminal justice. And we must apply this principle to the Russian leadership as they deserve it.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Dear friends!

We must strengthen our alliances and cooperation. We must get rid of all kinds of dependence on Russia.

We must ensure that we have sufficient weapons and effectiveness to provide full protection in the air, on land, at sea, and in cyberspace – in this war that Russia is already waging against Ukraine, and in any new war if Russia wants to expand hostilities now or to repeat the aggression in the future.

By the way, all this is taken into account in our proposals for updating the security architecture of Ukraine and Europe, which we presented. And I ask all of you to familiarize yourself with the draft Kyiv Security Compact, which can become a fundamental prerequisite for peace in Eastern Europe.

And, finally, punishment for aggression.

Sanctions against Russia are mandatory. They should not just act, but regularly be intensified so that the aggressor state does not have time to adapt. I am grateful to everyone who supports such a policy!

And I am grateful to everyone who works together with us to ensure that every Russian murderer and torturer receives a legal punishment.
I have no doubts about the victory of Ukraine. We can restore peace and freedom to the entire Ukrainian territory. The successes of our warriors on the frontline prove this.

But I want to be able to say that I do not doubt the complete security of Europe and each of our nations after this war. This is also possible. We know the right answers to the key question of our time, and therefore there will be peace.

I thank you for your attention!

Thank you for your support!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Dear friends! Dear colleagues!

First of all, I want to thank you, Charles, and I also want to thank the Czech Presidency for this opportunity and Prime Minister Fiala personally for the invitation to participate in this event. Ukraine – as it should be – together with all Europeans.

This is a familiar thing for everyone now – and at our level, when we regularly meet and work together in various European formats. Also it is familiar for people in our countries – because for most Europeans, Ukraine is an integral part of the European space.

The space of freedom, democracy, social development and fundamental values that unite us all.

It makes Europe so attractive to many people from other parts of the world.

But let’s look back for a moment – to the very recent past. Just a few generations before us the European space that we have today could have been nothing more than a dream.

And such a bold dream that it was very difficult to believe that it could be realized.

Europe was a continent of discord, warlike ambitions, clannishness, lack of freedom, inequality, and poverty. And Europeans had to flee to other parts of the world just to survive and develop their potential.

So it was. Europe has done a lot to overcome this.

And even Russia will not be able to push our common continent into such a past. Although Russia openly seeks this, it spends a lot of energy, a lot of money, resources on it, fights for this and provokes anti-European crises, the impact of which is felt by everyone in Europe – from Portugal to Finland.

But what gives confidence that the European path is irreversible?

There is only one answer – unity. And it is the unity of not only leaders and states. Not only in the legal space. Not only in our institutions – EU institutions and others, it is not only in their work.

It is very important that the unity of our perception of Europe as a task remains.

Yesterday, Mr. Fiala, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, while addressing the European leaders gathered in Prague for the inaugural meeting of the new format of cooperation on our continent, recalled this image that was proposed by Václav Havel.

Europe as a task.

Today, at the meeting of the European Council, I would like to emphasize once again exactly this image. Because this is the source of our strength.

Europe will remain exactly as it is now, as long as Europeans perceive what they have, how they live, what they received from previous generations, not as a givenness, but as a task.

Peace in Europe is not a state, but a task.

Our values, their popularity and strength are not a givenness, but a task.

And democracy is not something that can always be, because it already exists now, it is also the task.

Social development, the pursuit of equality in diversity, which distinguishes Europe from other parts of the world, is also not something that we can simply get from our parents or simply pass on to our children, it is the task.

And security… Security is also not a state, not a givenness, not an inheritance that can be received or transferred, but the task.

It is a constantly renewing task that can never be abandoned and that constantly needs new thoughts, steps and solutions to preserve all that you and I value so much and that is so familiar to us.

And especially now – at a time when Europe is being so brutally attacked at many levels by the most anti-European state of the modern world – Russia.

Russia brought war to our land – to the Ukrainian part of Europe. And only thanks to the fact that the Ukrainian people stopped this invasion of Russia, Russia cannot yet bring the same war to other parts of Europe, in particular, the Baltic countries, Poland, and Moldova.

The whole of Europe is placed in the conditions of a severe price crisis, when through the manipulation of the energy market Russia achieves unprecedented pressure on the standard of living of the absolute majority of Europeans.

And all of us are on the brink of a nuclear disaster due to the capture of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant by Russian troops.

These are terrible conditions. But we are all together, we defend ourselves vigorously, we have not abandoned our task.

We have established and should only increase our cooperation in the security and defense areas.

Increase the supply of weapons and ammunition to defend against the Russian pressure.

Increase the manufacture of weapons and ammunition in Europe to be always ready to defend our common space.

Indeed, I understand, and all of us would rather spend the money we spend on armaments on completely different goals – peaceful goals, social needs. But who and what will be able to protect such goals and such needs?

We have to be especially careful about the protection of our critical infrastructure – and especially after the sabotage that happened at gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.

Never before has our continent faced such a threat – the threat of destroying underwater pipelines, cables, and tunnels. But now you can expect this from Russia.

At the same time, we must strengthen our cooperation to help each other, provide all Europeans with adequate energy guarantees. Russia must not succeed in its effort to force Europeans into energy poverty or even a complete lack of energy.

The key challenge is in Ukraine.

The first is the physical protection of energy facilities from Russian strikes. We need enough air defense systems to prevent Russia from leaving people without heat and electricity in the winter.

The second is the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. We must finally force Russia to immediately comply with the demands of the IAEA and all normal people of the world and demilitarize the plant. And this is not only about Russian military equipment, but also about the removal of all troops from the plants. Right now there are 500 Russian terrorists at the Zaporizhzhia plant. And there is no place for them there!

This is essential for nuclear safety. This is absolutely essential for Ukraine to have the necessary volume of electricity for export. For export, which is fundamentally important for our neighbors in the EU this winter.

The third is reconstruction. Fast restoration of facilities destroyed by Russia during hostilities.

I am grateful to those countries that have already started working under our Fast Recovery Plan. And we expect a substantive discussion on this during the Conference in Germany on October 25.

We have already created and must constantly strengthen the system of sanction pressure on the aggressor.

I thank you very much for the adoption of the eighth package of EU sanctions, which includes, in particular, Russian oil. We must continue moving in this direction – the direction of pressure on the Russian energy sector, on this main source of income of the aggressor state.

And we must maintain political leadership. This is especially important right now – when Russian forces have finally arrived on the battlefield, and our heroes are liberating Ukrainian land every day – village after village, city after city.

To stop the liberation of Ukraine, Russia began to manipulate the topic of negotiations, and allegedly mentioned the dialogue, which it rejected, starting this war against Ukraine and against all of you, against all of Europe.

It is obvious that Russia does not want any real negotiations. Because if it wanted to, it would have responded to dozens of our proposals and efforts. Russia just wants to save time. Wants to regroup forces. And accumulate resources. To strike again. We have to stop it from doing that.

Like everything else in Europe, security is not something you can get by giving up something or signing a treaty. Security is a task. The task of expelling the occupier from the territory occupied by it. The task of holding murderers and executioners to account. The task of restoring the validity of the fundamental standards and conventions approved by the international community for all states without exception.

We must be strong – until our common victory to preserve all that we value so much. We must never stop defending freedom and democracy so that our children and grandchildren can enjoy at least the same amount of rights and freedoms that we have.

And we must invest now in our defense, in our security, in our cooperation as much as possible, so that anyone in the world, who might even have a thought to start an anti-European path, will forever be aware that the strength of European unity is insuperable.

I thank you for your attention! I thank you for your support!

Long live united Europe! United also as a task. A task for us and you. Equal leaders of European countries – countries of the European Union. All de facto, but not all de jure yet. And this is also a task for you and me – a task for the sake of our Europe. The space of freedom, democracy, social development and fundamental values that unite us all.

Thank you! Thank you, Charles!

Glory to Ukraine!

The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 6 October 2022.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Dear hosts of our meeting and inspirators of the idea of our meeting!

Dear Prime Minister Fiala!

Dear President Michel!

Dear Mr. President Macron!

Dear leaders of Europe!

At this first meeting of ours in this format, I would like to congratulate you on the establishment of our new political initiative.

I would like to congratulate you on the fact that, thanks to this initiative, we have received not just another format of cooperation in Europe, but an extremely powerful opportunity to restore peace in Europe.

This gathering, the European Political Community, has a real possibility of becoming a European Community of Peace.

Peace! That Ukraine needs so much. That absolutely every country presented here today needs.

Currently, representatives of all existing formats of cooperation in Europe based on our common values are participating in this meeting.

Here with us are those who joined the EU and those who are preparing to join.

Here with us are those who are part of NATO, and those who are building cooperation with the Alliance as candidate countries or partners of NATO.

Here with us are representatives of various regional associations of Europeans.

And there are no representatives of Russia with us here – a state that geographically seems to belong to Europe, but from the point of view of its values and behavior is the most anti-European state in the world.

We are now in a strong position to direct all possible powers of Europe to end the war and guarantee long-term peace – for Ukraine, for Europe, for the world.

Ukraine never wanted this war. Ukraine did nothing to provoke it. Ukraine has always been a leader in peaceful settlement.

And all of you are well informed about how much Ukraine has done to try to convince Russia to live without war.

Many of you personally participated in these efforts and helped us.

Helped us in almost a hundred rounds of negotiations of various levels, at which peace was offered to Russia. I thank each and every one of you for this effort.

But we must admit the obvious: we are forced to deal with a state that does not want peace. Which responds to all proposals for real peace with missile strikes, provocation of artificial crises and ridicule.

Russia subordinated its entire policy to only one task, namely, waging war. War against Ukraine, against Europe, against the world.

Ladies and Gentlemen! Colleagues!

Peace is needed! Russia kills. It kills on the battlefield in Ukraine, in our peaceful cities… And on the streets of your cities.

Russian killers made attempts on people in various European countries. And organized sabotage in Europe – against warehouses with weapons, against factories, and now against gas pipelines.

Russia intimidates and blackmails for the world to stop helping those it kills. It uses everything from the food crisis to radiation blackmail, from destabilizing energy markets to nuclear blackmail. All in order to break the unity of allies and partners, to intimidate nations, to make millions of people afraid and on the basis of this fear – to give in.

Give up values, first of all. Our common values of freedom, democracy and the right of nations to live freely.

Russia is trying to fix every danger and every manifestation of instability that it has already created. This is exactly what it calls negotiations, this is exactly how it perceives any agreements.

Russia wants to redraw the borders – to once again divide the world into zones of influence, destroying our common space of cooperation and development.

Russia corrupts. It corrupts with the billions it earns from trading in energy resources.

This is the Russian formula for war: kill, intimidate, fix threats to free states and their losses, destroy borders and corrupt.

And each of these elements is anti-European. All of them are directed against Europe.

Ukraine is only the first battlefield this state has entered. And it is in Ukraine that it is necessary to defeat it.

We must implement our peace formula. I presented it in my speech at the UN General Assembly. It must be fully implemented.

The items of our peace formula neutralize everything that Russia does to fight.

The first is to punish the aggressor. Increase sanctions against Russia. Stop any cooperation with Russia and its companies. Exclude it from all international organizations or at least suspend its membership, its ability to distort the activities of international institutions – first of all, the UN.

Russia is making the United Nations a gathering of 192 who are simply forced to put up with one state lying and mocking and vetoing when it wants to block the UN’s real ability to restore peace.

Of course, in order to punish the aggressor, we need a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression by Russia against Ukraine and an international compensation mechanism that will force Russia to compensate for the damages they caused.

The second is aid to Ukraine. By helping us, each of your states is helping itself.

Look at the battlefield in Ukraine now – it is such an intense war that the absolute majority of states simply would not be able to wage it. And that is why this war must be won now – in Ukraine.

So that the Russian fleet cannot block other ports in the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea or any other sea. So that Russian tanks do not advance on Warsaw or again on Prague. So that Russian artillery does not fire at the Baltic states. So that Russian missiles do not hit the territory of Finland or any other country.

Such a threat exists. We reduce such a threat every day when we destroy the occupiers in Ukraine.

The third point of our peace formula is the restoration of security and territorial integrity.

We do it. We do it together with you. With your help.

The fourth point is security guarantees. We need security guarantees before we join NATO. And on this path. And we will do it. We will also do it together with you. Our proposals for security guarantees are presented to partners.

The fifth is determination.

In 225 days of full-scale war, we have all already shown that Europe can influence the issues of war and peace. But now – all together – we must ensure that the formula for war is completely blocked and the formula for peace is fully implemented.

Today, Russia launched another airstrike on Ukrainian cities.

It used Iranian drones again. By the way, they are used every day, and so far Iran says every day that there are allegedly no such drones here.

And again hit with rockets.

Unfortunately, there are victims again – dead and wounded people, burnt houses.

In Zaporizhzhia, after the first missile strike today, when people came to clear the debris, Russia launched a second missile strike…

Absolute meanness. Absolute evil. There have already been thousands of manifestations of such evil. Unfortunately, there may be thousands more.

But the day will come when Russian evil will lose.

This will be the very day when our peace formula will prevail. When we will fully use all the possibilities of our unity.

Here and now, I urge you to make a basic decision. A decision about purpose for this community of ours. For this format of ours.

We, the leaders of Europe, can become the leaders of peace. Our European political community can become a European community of peace.

So, let’s do it! And let today be the starting point. The point from which Europe and the entire free world will move to guaranteed peace for all of us. It is possible.

Thank you for your attention!

Thank you all for your support!

Glory to Ukraine!

The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 6 October 2022.

Thank you very much, dear Mr. Lowy! Dear Mr. Fullilove!

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Thank you for this opportunity to address you today and answer the most pressing questions of our time. A time that has such a strong connection with the past.

Almost 8 years ago, in November 2014, here in Sydney, at the Lowy Institute, you had a speech by Angela Merkel, then Federal Chancellor of Germany.

She in particular touched upon the topic of the Russian war against Ukraine – the criminal annexation of our Crimea, hostilities in Donbas and destruction of the Malaysian Boeing in the sky over Ukraine. Mrs. Merkel then noted that “the Ukrainian crisis is really more than a regional crisis, it affects all of us.”

Let me remind you once again – these words were said almost 8 years ago, i.e. 8 years before Russia was able to turn a hybrid war against Ukraine – a war, not a crisis after all – into a full-scale invasion, the likes of which Europe has not seen since World War II.

Why was this possible? Why, despite the understanding already in 2014 that Russian aggression is not something local, but really a global threat, Russia still had the possibility of such an escalation, which began on February 24 of this year?

This question reveals the connection between our time with even more ancient history.

With a history that still hasn’t really become history. It is still with us – in the present.

On September 30 of this year, the head of Russia announced the purported annexation of part of the territory of Ukraine. Four of our regions, from which the Russian occupation contingent has not yet been ousted.

This new attempt by Russia to grab someone else’s property is an obvious attempt to repeat 2014 – to repeat Crimea. And not just annexation as such.

Russia is trying to put the international community in such conditions now that the reaction to yet another Russian crime against international law does not correspond to its severity in the same way as it did then – with Crimea.

In 2014, we did not see, for example, really tough sanctions against Russia. It was not punished for this crime. At that time, there was a very strong desire among many in the world to turn a blind eye to the annexation, to consider the war simply a “crisis” and to continue relations with Russia.

Although they said then that the threat was global, they acted as if it was something purely local…

And to say that this increased the aggressor’s sense of impunity is an understatement.

But this always happens: when a criminal does not receive an adequate punishment for a crime he has committed, he perceives it as permission for further criminal acts. “They are weak,” is how the aggressor reacts when he feels no response.

Will he feel it now?

Knowingly or not, the Russian leader chose a very symbolic date to start this attempt to annex our territory. September 30. This day takes us back 84 years in the history of Europe and the world.

It was on this day that another aggressor – yet so similar to this one – succeeded in signing the Munich Agreement. Also to annex someone else’s land.

Now we remember that agreement more often under the name of the “Munich conspiracy” and consider it an example of political cynicism and a fatal mistake. A mistake that cost humanity tens of millions of lives.

But after the signing of “Munich”, such evaluations sounded different. They even said that the agreement would give peace to the generation at that time…

In different countries and with different voices, the thesis that it is possible to simply agree that the aggressor has seized something is heard again. That it is possible to draw some kind of conditional line somewhere that will satisfy Russia’s appetite, and supposedly after that the war will die down. And that one should not react toughly to this annexation attempt, which Russia started on September 30.

But this thesis sounds nothing but the year 2014 – the mistakes of the then leaders. It sounds like 1938. It only says that the criminal can go unpunished. And so, with the temptation to continue.

Be sure – the head of Russia is now carefully analyzing the world’s reaction to the sham referenda he organized on Ukrainian soil and to the announcement of the annexation of our territory. What exactly is he interested in?

It’s simple: he is interested in whether he still has the potential for escalation.

If the world’s reaction is weak now, Russia will come up with some new escalation.

You can see that the range of criminal actions of this state is very wide – missile terror, mass murders, criminal deportations, radiation blackmail at, for example, our captured Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, food crisis, energy crisis, etc.

The recent sabotage with gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea was also very eloquent. These are actions that can destabilize life on the entire continent. This is a real energy weapon of mass destruction. Absolutely every country in the world depends on underwater cables and pipelines, which can be destroyed by an aggressor in the same way as gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.

Therefore, the world must now show strength.

Strength is needed to finally put an end to aggression – to the aggressor’s ability to escalate.

On international platforms, a clear and principled condemnation of Russia for this attempt to annex Ukrainian territory is needed, for it to be utterly different from what happened in 2014.

At the level of states and unions of states, new and tough sanctions against Russia are needed so that the situation is also dramatically different from 2014.

At the level of cooperation with Ukraine, regular and demonstrative support packages are needed, primarily defensive and financial, so that the aggressor sees that his criminal actions only complicate the situation for him.

Now, at a time that has such a strong connection with the past, we have a historic opportunity to set a precedent that will make the history of aggression truly history and that will teach any aggressor that no crime against international law will ever again remain unpunished.

Next week, a resolution on non-recognition and condemnation of Russia’s new attempt to annex our territories will be submitted to the UN General Assembly. We and Australia have long had a principled and effective cooperation at all international platforms, and in particular at the UN. And we must now direct our joint capabilities in such a way as to make the vote at the General Assembly for this resolution as unequivocal as possible. I am asking you, I am asking Australia to use all its influence to persuade as many countries as possible not to remain neutral and to vote for – for international law and against Russian annexation.

Ukraine has a very meaningful defense cooperation with Australia as well.

Even after my first address to the Parliament and people of Australia in March, your Government decided to provide Ukraine with bushmasters. I’m deeply grateful. These vehicles have proven themselves in real combat.

The more weapons and ammunition we receive, in particular, artillery, drones, anti-aircraft defense, anti-tank and anti-ship weapons, the more tangible the responsibility for violation of international law will be for Russia and the less the aggressor will feel that he supposedly has room for escalation.

The third element is sanctions.

I thank Australia for participating in the global effort to impose sanctions on the aggressor for the war. But this pressure makes sense when it is constantly growing and when the aggressor does not have time to adapt to sanctions, does not have time to find ways to circumvent them.

Now is the time to increase this pressure. Just now.

Right after Russia staged this farce with sham referenda and this annexation.

The price of such actions must be tangible, the consequences – devastating. The aggressor should have no illusions that 2014 can still happen again.

And the last one.

The world has seen many wars. It has seen how wars somewhere in one part of the world affect everyone in the world.

It should be considered not only from the point of view of the direct negative impact of the war. But also from the point of view of the impact of its result.

If the aggressor does gain a result for himself, if the aggressive ambition is satisfied, then such a result affects everyone in the world even more and even longer than the war itself.

Affects by cynicism. Affects by the inevitable destruction of international law, the weakening of the truth.

That is why the criminal war must end with the just defeat of the one who started it. The aggressor must lose. This is what gives peace to generations. Not any conspiracies with the aggressor, not appeasement of the aggressor, but his defeat. And therefore, the restoration of peace. And therefore, Ukraine must win.

This is not just something about our state. This is about all of us in the world. This is also about Australia.

About your freedom. About your security. About our common values. About our common peace. Which our victory can historically strengthen.

I thank you for your attention! I thank you for the support, Australia!

Glory to Ukraine!