Tag: Volodymyr Zelenskyy

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

Ukrainians!

Today was a really busy day.

I held a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. All relevant leaders were there: Zaluzhny, Monastyrskyi, Budanov, Maliuk, Danilov and others. I think it is obvious what issues we considered. The military reported on the situation on the frontline, on the development of the situation.

I will not reveal the details now. I will say only one thing: on behalf of our intelligence, I want to thank all our people who support us very strongly in the south of our country, and especially in Crimea. The intelligence officers are grateful for the information provided and will use it to the maximum. Let the enemies not forget whose peninsula they are staying on. Temporarily staying.

The fighting in Donbas remains fierce – the hot spots in the region have not changed. Our guys are holding their ground. I am grateful to every warrior for resilience!

Today I held a meeting with representatives of the Parliament and the Government of Ukraine regarding the current plans of the state’s work.

I took part in the work of a very respectable forum in the Czech Republic, in Prague, called Forum 2000. It was founded by Václav Havel and is attracting significant attention in Europe.

I addressed the participants of the forum and urged them to strengthen the support of our state in this war and the protection of all of Europe from Russian pressure. In particular, the issue of limiting European visas for citizens of Russia should be finally resolved.

I think it is humiliating for Europe when it is considered as just one big boutique or restaurant. Europe is primarily a territory of values, not primitive consumption. And when the citizens of the state that wants to destroy European values use Europe for their entertainment or shopping, for the vacation of their mistresses while they themselves work for the war or to simply silently wait out the immoral fall of Russia, which is happening right now, this is completely contrary to everything which Europe was united for in general.

The European Union was intended to maintain peace on the continent. Work for peaceful and democratic development of European countries. Europe cannot become morally deaf. And none of the European leaders will be able to justify the fact that the money allegedly doesn’t smell for them with the consequences of COVID.

Because if there is such deafness, if there is such a loss of the ability to distinguish the smell of blood on bills, there will be no Europe, there will be no peaceful Europe.

I am grateful to those Europeans who understand that in wartime it is the duty of any normal person to fight for the aggressor to lose, for the occupation to end, for the Russian military to leave Ukrainian land.

Today I want to thank all our agricultural workers, port workers, diplomats and government officials who returned the status of a real guarantor of food security in African countries to Ukraine.

23 thousand tons of Ukrainian wheat under the UN World Food Programme have already arrived at the port of Djibouti. And they will be delivered to the people of Ethiopia, where there is the worst drought in the last 40 years and millions of people are on the verge of starvation.

We are also restoring the relevant connections with the countries of the Arabian Peninsula – almost 40 thousand tons of wheat are headed to Yemen.

And in general, more than 1.5 million tons of our food have already been exported by sea from the three ports that became operational thanks to the grain export initiative. We are doing everything for the world to feel the importance of Ukraine and be grateful to our people.

I signed the decree on awarding our warriors today. 149 combatants were awarded state awards, 15 of them posthumously. We will always remember our heroes!

Eternal glory to all who fight for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 31 August 2022.

Ukrainians!

Today, the Verkhovna Rada worked quite effectively and, in particular, endorsed several important laws and ratifications that bring us closer to the European Union. No matter how difficult it is – even in the conditions of such a war – we are moving step by step towards full membership in the EU.

I have just signed these documents – on accession to the Convention on the Simplification of Formalities in Trade in Goods and to the Convention on the Common Transit Procedure. They are the actual implementation of the customs visa-free regime. We did it in record time and in a completely coordinated manner – all branches of government.

And I want to thank all our diplomats, government officials, deputies who ensured this result. Ukraine will be a full member of the EU – and we are already closer to Europe than at any time in previous decades.

Representatives of the IAEA have already arrived in our country and are to visit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. It’s an important mission, and we’re doing everything we can for it to be safe and work at full capacity.

Unfortunately, Russia does not stop provocations precisely in those directions from which the mission is supposed to arrive at the station. But I hope that the IAEA mission will be able to start its work.

The situation at the ZNPP and in Enerhodar, in the surrounding areas, remains extremely threatening. The occupiers do not leave the plant, continue shelling and do not take away their weapons and ammunition from the territory of the NPP. They intimidate our plant’s staff. The risk of a radiation disaster due to Russian actions does not decrease for a single hour.

Tonight I spoke about it with President of France Emmanuel Macron. We coordinated our positions in protecting Ukraine and Europe from Russian radiation blackmail. In the afternoon, I discussed the situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP and the dispatch of the mission to the plant with IAEA Director General Grossi. I hope that together with international organizations, with all our partners, we will be able to return the plant under the full control of Ukraine and force Russia to withdraw all its military personnel and weapons from the plant. Immediate and complete demilitarization of the ZNPP is needed.

Only Ukraine can guarantee that all processes at the Zaporizhzhia plant will take place in accordance with standards and under control. Russia simply does not need it.

Today I also held a meeting with American senators – Mr. Portman and Ms. Klobuchar, who arrived in Kyiv. These are people who have done a lot to protect our state and generally freedom in Europe and the world. I thanked them for the bipartisan support.

The key topic of the negotiations is, of course, our interaction with the United States of America and the necessary steps for our joint victory in this battle for freedom.

In particular, we discussed the strengthening of support for Ukraine – financial and security, strengthening of sanctions against Russia – these sanctions should grow like a snowball in order to demolish the terrorist potential of this state.

Over this day, the occupiers brutally shelled Kharkiv, Mykolaiv and our other cities. And almost everywhere – civil infrastructure exactly.

Only one Russian shelling of Kharkiv took the lives of 5 people today, another 12 were wounded. There are also victims as a result of other shelling occasions… Eternal memory to all those whose lives were taken away by the occupiers!

The Armed Forces of our country, our special services, our intelligence are doing everything possible and impossible for every Russian military to necessarily feel the Ukrainian response to this horrible terror that Russia has brought to our land.

Throughout the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, from Crimea to the Kharkiv region, the Russian army does not have and will not have a single safe base, a single quiet place. Our defenders will destroy all warehouses, headquarters of the occupiers, their equipment, wherever they are located. Near Sevastopol – then near Sevastopol. Near Luhansk – then near Luhansk. This is Ukrainian land, and the occupiers can do only two things – flee or surrender. We leave them no other options.

Currently, active hostilities are taking place almost along the entire frontline – in the south, in the Kharkiv region and in Donbas. Today I especially want to thank the warriors of the 56th and 110th brigades, who are showing maximum resilience and heroism in the Avdiivka direction. The warriors of the 53rd and 93rd brigades, who are defending the Bakhmut direction, defending courageously, intelligently, heroically.

The Russian military command was instructed to capture the Donetsk region by the end of August. The end of August is already tomorrow. And in Donbas there are the Ukrainian flag and the Ukrainian heroes. Despite everything – despite the round-the-clock Russian fire, despite the occupiers’ efforts to send various mercenaries and convicts there…

I thank each and every one who stands firm, who defends positions and who accurately “subtracts” the invaders, their equipment, logistics and ammunition.

Also, today I want to once again draw the attention of all our people in Crimea – please stay away from Russian military facilities, do not stay near Russian bases and military airfields, inform the special services of Ukraine of all the information you know about the occupiers, so that the liberation of Crimea can happen faster.

Eternal glory to all our heroes!

Eternal glory to all those who help in the fight for life, for independence!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Ukrainians!

Today we honored the memory of our warriors who gave their lives for our state, for our independence.

This day of remembrance is set for the end of summer, August 29, to remind everyone about the tragic events of 2014, about Ilovaisk, about the fact that this war, which began with Russia’s occupation of our Crimea, with an attempt to seize Donbas, must end precisely there – in the liberated Crimea, in the liberated cities of Donbas, with our troops reaching the state border of Ukraine.

We have always kept this goal in mind. We do not forget about it.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine, our intelligence, our defense forces are doing their job. I am sure that you all understand what is happening, what we are fighting for and what we are striving for. And our warriors do not need any announcements or information waves in the back.

Ukraine is returning its own. And it will return the Kharkiv region, Luhansk region, Donetsk region, Zaporizhzhia region, Kherson region, Crimea, definitely our entire water area of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov – from Zmiinyi Island to the Kerch Strait. This will happen. This is ours. And just as our society understands it, I want the occupiers to understand it, too. There will be no place for them on Ukrainian land.

Anyone want to know what our plans are? You won’t hear specifics from any truly responsible person. Because this is war. And this is what it is during the war.

But the occupiers should know: we will oust them to the border. To our border, the line of which has not changed. The invaders know it well.

If they want to survive, it is time for the Russian military to flee. Go home. If you are afraid to return to your home in Russia – well, let such occupiers surrender, and we will guarantee them compliance with all norms of the Geneva Conventions.

If they do not listen to me, they will deal with our defenders, who will not stop until they liberate everything that belongs to Ukraine.

And it is not something special. It’s not something that supposedly started. We’ve been talking about it for 187 days.

Today, I held meetings with the military, with representatives of the military-industrial sector, and with government officials. Important meetings, important topics, it is wrong to reveal them. But everyone can see the result over time. When our defenders destroy the logistics, bases, and headquarters of the enemy. We will continue this.

I’ve made three appeals to foreign partners today.

The first is Norway. I took part in the work of the energy forum, and I would like to thank the Prime Minister of Norway, Mr. Støre, for the new support package for Ukraine – about 200 million dollars as part of the energy preparation for winter.

The second is France. A powerful association of entrepreneurs – hundreds of thousands of businessmen, millions of owners, managers and employees. I am grateful to them for their support and understanding of what we are fighting for in Ukraine, understanding that this struggle is shared by all Europeans.

The third appeal is to the participants of the security forum in Slovenia, in particular, to our friends – the leaders of the countries of Central Europe and the Balkans.

In the evening, I signed a decree awarding our warriors. 141 combatants were awarded state awards, ten of them posthumously.

It is very important – today I had the honor to present the Gold Star Orders to the relatives, families of Heroes perished while performing combat missions.

Eternal memory to all our heroes! Eternal glory to all those who fight for freedom for our entire land!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Dear Ukrainians!

Every year, on the last weekend of summer, two holidays were celebrated in our country – they are closely related – Donetsk City Day and Miner’s Day.

In 2014, everything changed for Donetsk because of the occupiers. And this year, all of Ukraine will not have holidays. But we have not forgotten and will not forget any of our cities and any of our people.

Donetsk has always been one of the richest and strongest cities in Ukraine. Mining has always been one of the most respected professions. Now Donbas is almost destroyed by Russian strikes, devastated. The proud and glorious Ukrainian Donetsk was humiliated by the Russian occupation and robbed. Russia brought the most terrible thing there – absolute disregard for the value of any life, absolute disrespect for anyone. The invaders brought degradation and death. And they believe that they are there forever. But it’s a temporary thing for them.

And Ukraine will return. For sure. Life will return. The dignity of the people of Donbas will return. The ability to live will return. The opportunity to live safely and happily. This is exactly what our Ukrainian flag will symbolize when we set it up in Donetsk, Horlivka, Mariupol, in all cities of Donbas, Azov area, in all areas under Russian occupation – in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson regions. And definitely – in Crimea.

Ukraine remembers everything.

I held a meeting today with representatives of the defense and security sector. It was attended by the heads of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, intelligence, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other structures and areas of defense of our state.

All the issues we considered are important, but secret, I cannot go into detail. But the occupiers will feel its consequences – in the further actions of our defenders.

No terrorist will go unanswered for attacks on our cities. Zaporizhzhia, Orikhiv, Kharkiv, Donbas – they will receive an answer for all of them.

We are preparing for a new week – it will be very active. Important visits of partners to Ukraine are planned. I will resume the practice of appeals to the states and nations that support us.

And most importantly, we are working to ensure that there are new restrictions for Russia because of the war and that there are new support packages for our defenders, for our state. Defense support – weapons and ammunition, financial support, political support, media support, support for our reconstruction – every day every public official must demonstrate results in his area of responsibility. Only work for results gives the right to hold public positions. This should be remembered by everyone who was given power.

Thank you to everyone who honestly works for the state! Thanks to all our defenders!

Glory to our soldiers!

Glory to our people!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Dear Ukrainians! I wish you health!

Today is Aviation Day. It is traditionally celebrated in our country on the last Saturday of August. It is a professional holiday of people without whom the present cannot be imagined. And without which we cannot imagine the independence of our state.

Russia hoped to destroy our aircraft in the first hours of the full-scale invasion. And, of course, this enemy had a completely insane goal, like many other such goals. The Air Force of Ukraine was preserved, and since the first day of the invasion, it has been honorably performing combat missions.

In six months, 18 pilots were honored with the title of Hero of Ukraine. Dozens more have been given state awards. Their skills and combat results have become a true legend, and I have repeatedly heard the highest praise of our aviation from representatives of the armies and states of our partners.

Ukrainian aviation is strong. It will be among the most modern, that’s for sure. This cannot be changed. But even in the extremely difficult conditions that exist now, Ukrainian pilots show the greatest skills.

Today I thank all our pilots, everyone who services flights, prepares equipment for flights, and everyone who helps Ukrainian military aviation to be able to perform combat missions. And separately, I want to thank the parents of our soldiers, mothers and fathers of Ukrainian pilots, for such brave and intelligent sons who did and are doing a lot to bring our victory – the victory of Ukraine – closer.

Once again – Happy Aviation Day of Ukraine!

This week, for the Independence Day of our country, I signed a number of decrees on awarding representatives of various professions, various groups of our society. In general, those who really helped the defense of Ukraine, the defense of independence, our people, and who are really known at the front.

I asked the military and law enforcement officers, all authorities – central and regional, ministries and regional administrations, as well as representatives of the media – to provide me with nominations of those who deserve awards. Those in the trenches, those who support our boys and girls. Name the people they know in the army, whom they are truly grateful to on the front lines. Who support the fighting spirit of Ukrainians, our faith in ourselves, who spread the truth about the war. Who are mobilizing assistance for Ukraine abroad. Who support the displaced people… Volunteers and officials, journalists and workers of utility service enterprises, communications operators, transport workers and athletes, artists, musicians, public figures, workers of the energy industry, post office… Many different people whose candidacies were proposed. There are also those who are awarded, unfortunately, posthumously.

Of course, I also signed decrees on awarding our soldiers – in the Armed Forces, in intelligence, in the Security Service of Ukraine. In total, since February 24, 27,760 of our defenders have been given state awards of Ukraine.

Tomorrow, on Sunday, these decrees will be made public. And there will be another decree – a very important, special decree – on awarding state awards to friends of Ukraine abroad, our partners, our helpers in the struggle for freedom and life. Those whose contribution is really significant. Those to whom Ukraine will always be grateful.

Because the struggle for independence is the struggle of the entire nation, and only in this way it can be successful. It is nationwide here in Ukraine. And that is why Ukraine will win. The people always win. And the successful struggle for freedom in the world also cannot be the struggle of only individual people or individual states. It is a joint work, a common result, which is achieved thanks to the strength and solidarity of all who value freedom and who do not tolerate tyranny. Freedom always wins. We will definitely win!

Eternal glory to all our heroes!

Eternal gratitude to everyone who helps fight for freedom, for our state!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Good evening, Ukrainians!

Europeans!

Our nuclear scientists, all specialists in the energy industry, manage to protect the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant from the worst-case scenario, which is constantly being provoked by Russian forces. Currently, the plant has been connected to the grid. My congratulations. It produces power for Ukraine.

I want to emphasize that the situation remains very risky and dangerous. Any repeat of yesterday’s events, that is, any disconnection of the plant from the grid, any actions by Russia that could trigger the shutdown of the reactors, will again put the plant one step away from disaster.

That is why it is so important that the IAEA mission arrives at the plant as soon as possible and helps keep the NPP under continuous control of Ukraine. That is why it is so important that Russian troops withdraw from the plant and neighboring areas and that the threat of shelling of the plant itself or power lines connected to it disappears.

Ukrainian diplomats and our partners continue to fight for the safety of the Zaporizhzhia NPP every day. And today I want to thank all those who are mobilizing the world’s response to Russian radiation blackmail. To all our nuclear scientists – you are great, you are cool! To all our engineers – you are strong – whose professionalism is now literally saving both Ukraine and Europe when they overcome the consequences of Russian terror at the plant!

Today, we can draw the first conclusions about the rescue of many countries and peoples from the food crisis, which Russia wanted so badly to exacerbate into real famine. The grain export initiative has been operating for almost a month, and during this time, the first million tonnes of foodstuffs were exported from our three seaports in Chornomorsk, Odesa and Yuzhne since February 24. This is a victory.

This means in practice that Ukrainian grain and the very fact that the Ukrainian supply route to the world food market has worked, make it possible to prevent chaos on the market, reduce the severity of the food crisis and prevent a catastrophic shortage. Ukraine was, is and will be among the guarantors of global food security.

By the way, 44 vessels with Ukrainian foodstuffs have already been sent to 15 countries of the world, we have 70 more applications for the arrival of vessels at ports for loading. The goal is to reach the volume of 3 million tonnes of export by sea every month. And this is extremely important for Africa, Asia and Europe.

It is also important that our society realizes that this export not only supports the international subject status of Ukraine, but also provides jobs for our citizens – it is hundreds of thousands of jobs, it provides income for Ukrainian companies, for our budget and, what is very important, it provides funds for planting next year.

I still remember the joy of port workers in Odesa, when they not only learned, but actually saw that the port had resumed operations. This is a really important result for Ukraine, for the Black Sea region and for the whole world.

And I am grateful to everyone who joined this work, this initiative. I emphasize that it is the full responsibility of the partners to prevent any Russian provocations and disruption of exports.

We continue mobilizing media support for Ukraine. Now it is time that we need to look for even more non-standard channels for spreading the truth about Russia’s war against you and us, about our independence, about the needs of our state. We constantly find new information friends – real friends – partners in the defense of freedom and in countering Russian disinformation.

Yes, today I spoke with Jimmy Fallon – a very famous American talk show host, actor – about options for how to draw attention to Ukraine, how to convey the truth to the United States, to the people. How can we still help Ukraine? It was his main question. The question is how to win in this information war against the lies of the Russian Federation.

The situation on the front line remains unchanged these days. Our soldiers are doing everything possible to reduce the firepower and logistical potential of the occupiers. I think you all see the relevant news – about the destruction of the bases of the occupiers, their warehouses, those river crossings that they use.

And the more successful we will be in this – our intelligence, our army, the Security Service of Ukraine – the sooner we will be able to change the situation at the front in our favor. The Armed Forces of Ukraine, all our people, prove to the Russian occupiers every day that they do not have and will not have a chance to stay safe on Ukrainian land. The day will come when the occupiers will admit it. Or there simply won’t be any left.

Eternal glory to all of you, defenders of our state!

Eternal glory to our strong, indomitable, wise, beautiful people!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 26 August 2022.

Ukrainians!

All Europeans!

Today, for the first time in history, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant stopped. The emergency protection of the power units worked – after the last working line of the plant’s power return to the Ukrainian power system was damaged by Russian shelling.

Diesel generators were immediately activated to provide energy to the plant itself, to support it after the shutdown. The world must understand what a threat this is: if the diesel generators hadn’t turned on, if the automation and our staff of the plant had not reacted after the blackout, then we would already be forced to overcome the consequences of the radiation accident. Russia has put Ukraine and all Europeans in a situation one step away from a radiation disaster.

The south of Ukraine – the occupied areas – is already in a state of humanitarian disaster. In addition to all the evil that the occupiers brought there, electricity, water and sewage were cut off. Russia has brought degradation to our land, which has never been seen here. All this was simply impossible before the occupation. But this is the essence and pride of the modern Russian state: it is capable of only one thing – making the worst possible.

I want to assure all Ukrainians: we are doing everything to prevent an emergency scenario. But it depends not only on our state. The key thing is that such international pressure is needed that will force the occupiers to immediately withdraw from the territory of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. The IAEA and other international organizations must act much faster than they’re acting now. Because every minute the Russian troops stay at the nuclear power plant is a risk of a global radiation disaster.

Of course, we are doing everything so that the world knows every detail of the situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. And, in particular, today I talked about it in detail with President of the United States of America Biden. I am grateful to him for understanding and fully supporting the need to return the plant under the Ukrainian control and provide for the IAEA access immediately. This can be done in a matter of days, before the occupiers bring the situation to an irreversible point. And it’s easier to do it now than later, if the wind starts blowing radiation pollution across Europe.

In general, our conversation with President Biden today was very constructive, positive, quite long and productive. We managed to discuss all issues that are of vital importance for the protection of Ukraine and freedom. I thanked Mr. President and all the people of the United States for the defense assistance and for the tangible leadership in the macro-financial support of our state.

Just yesterday, President Biden approved a $6 billion package: three for defense assistance, three for financial assistance through the World Bank system.

I expressed particular gratitude for the inclusion of air defense in this package. We can really achieve a situation when the Russian missile terror will be overcome after Ukraine receives NASAMS air defense systems.

Today, I also had a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy who was on a visit to Ukraine. I thanked the Italian people, the President of Italy and personally Prime Minister of Italy Draghi for his principles in the defense of a united Europe. Mr. Draghi became one of those European leaders whose determination and personal morality made it possible at a critical moment to strengthen Europe and protect normal life on our continent.

We discussed today the expansion of cooperation between our states and Italy’s experience in strengthening security, in particular energy security.

By the way, due to Russian gas blackmail, gas prices in Europe today have already exceeded the level of $3,300 per thousand cubic meters. And this Russian anti-European policy is truly destructive, but in a strategic perspective – for Russia itself. There will no longer be such a player on the European energy market as Russia.

Of course, now the situation is very dangerous, very acute. But most European countries have approached energy issues very responsibly and are doing everything to adapt, to protect themselves. If someone in Russia thinks that they will bring Europe as a whole or Ukraine or other individual countries to their knees this winter, then this is a miscalculation. I believe that Europe is strong enough to correct the mistakes of the past, to become independent from the Russian energy system, from Russian energy carriers and not to give in to the blackmail of energy terrorists from Gazprom.

Ukraine is closely coordinating actions with its partners in these issues as well – in energy issues. The Government of Ukraine, our state-owned companies are doing everything to ensure that we are ready to go through this winter season, which will indeed be the most difficult in our history.

And we are now in such circumstances, when it is already clear that the enemy will not achieve its goals, but it still takes time, efforts are still needed for the Russian calculation to fail, so that they lose in this direction as well. We have to endure this time and make all the necessary efforts together with our partners. And so it will be.

We will put pressure on terrorists on all fronts – on the frontline, on the political front, in economic matters, in the information sphere.

For every shelling, there will be a response to the occupiers. It will be for Orikhiv. It will be for Chaplyne. It will be for Shepetivka, for Myrhorod, for Kharkiv, for Mariupol and the cities of Donbas, for all others who are targeted by the Russian military.

Russia has prepared many problems, crises and catastrophes for our country, for Europe and for the world. But the greatest disaster will still be experienced by it itself, the terrorist state itself. This “Titanic” came to its iceberg on February 24, and no matter how hard they try to stay afloat, they won’t.

Eternal glory to all who fight for freedom!

Eternal glory to all our warriors!

Glory to Ukraine!

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 25 August 2022.

Fellow Ukrainians!

It’s almost night, our main day, Independence Day of Ukraine, is coming to an end. But our independence does not end and will never end. And there will be our 32nd Independence Day, and 33rd, and all the following ones, as long as time on earth lasts. Ukraine will live forever. And it will only get stronger every day. And absolutely everyone in the world understands this – from the UN Security Council to all capitals without exception.

Therefore, let’s not retreat from our path, let’s fight, express gratitude to everyone who supports us, take care of our state, preserve our unity – the same unity as today, as every day over these six months. And no enemy will be able to defeat us. There are no such bombs that can erase freedom, and there will never be such missiles that can break the will of the people who believe in themselves.

Chaplyne is our pain today. As of this moment, there are 22 dead, five of them burned in the car, an 11-year-old teenager died, a Russian missile destroyed his house.

Search and rescue operations at the railway station will continue. We will definitely make the occupiers bear responsibility for everything they have done. And we will certainly drive the invaders out of our land. Not a single stain of this evil will remain in our free Ukraine. We will make our way to victory! It will happen!

Eternal memory to all those whose lives were taken by these invaders, these enemies.

Eternal glory to all our warriors! Glory to our people!

Glory to our Ukrainian strong world, our independence, our nation!

Glory to all of you!

Glory to Ukraine!

The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 2 September 2022.

Dear participants of the Forum!

Ladies and Gentlemen!

I am grateful for this opportunity to address you right now as we are all going through a very risky time in this war.

I would like to start with a fact that you may have missed. But I ask you to pay attention to it.

Pay attention to the fact that the work of the Forum is currently being monitored by independent media. As far as I know, representatives of such media as Corriere della Sera, Rai, La Repubblica, La Stampa, New York Times, Financial Times, Reuters, Fox Business Channel, CNBC Europe are present at the Forum. And I think many others. In general, 280 media representatives cover the Forum.

We are open to all. And we are open to them. And I can’t imagine that any of us are afraid of such or similar media.

But I will tell you who is afraid of them.

As you know, Ukraine is at the epicenter of Russian radiation blackmail right now. The Russian army seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant back in March and still holds it captive. This is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe – there are six nuclear reactors.

The plant was repeatedly shelled. On the very first night, when the Russian occupiers entered there, on the night of March 4, they fired at the plant’s premises from tanks. There is video confirmation. Over the months after that, the situation has not changed – shelling and provocations every day, constantly.

Under the cover of a nuclear plant, the Russian army is shelling neighboring cities and districts – this was the strategy. The occupiers are also shelling the plant itself – to put pressure on Ukraine and on all of you in Europe and on the world. The whole world. They want you to show weakness, to give up and stop supporting Ukraine. This is why Russia is doing this radiation blackmail.

Recently, the Zaporizhzhia NPP was literally one step away from disaster – when the power transmission lines were damaged as a result of shelling, automation began to shut down the reactors. Only the Ukrainian nuclear engineers, who work there absolutely professionally even in such difficult conditions, manage to prevent the accident.

If it was not for our professional people, Russia would have already provoked the worst disaster in the history of Europe – even worse than Chornobyl. And it is logical that this requires a strong international reaction.

With the help of our partners, we ensured that the IAEA mission was sent to the plant – just yesterday the mission was there. We agreed with the head of the IAEA, Mr. Grossi, the members of the mission, when I met with them, that they would help with the key issue – the key issue of the safety of the nuclear power plant, the key issue is the demilitarization of the plant. Because this is key to protecting all of us, all Europeans, from a radiation disaster. We also agreed that together with the IAEA mission, independent journalists from Ukrainian and international media will arrive at the territory of Zaporizhzhia NPP. The same media that are currently covering this Forum.

But what did we see? The Russian military stopped the journalists traveling with the mission at a checkpoint and did not let them go any further. Obviously, the occupiers felt that in the presence of a free media it would be impossible to lie to the IAEA and the whole world. Free media scares Russia.

And this says everything at once – if you do not allow independent journalists to the plant, it means you are definitely aware of your responsibility for the catastrophe that the plant is on the verge of, and you are afraid that the world will draw conclusions about your responsibility.

Unfortunately, the mission did not protect the journalists and did not put enough pressure on the Russians so that independent media would still be at the plant, so that everything would be open and fair there. And we talked about it with the mission and agreed. We said that without the admission of independent journalists, Russian propagandists would dominate the place. It would be a theater. Unfortunately, we also have not yet heard from the IAEA the key thing – the call to Russia regarding the demilitarization of the plant. And how can you do without it?

I really hope that the mission will adhere to what the parties have agreed upon and what is in the interests of the entire international community. The greatest risk of a radiation disaster in 40 years must be removed. It is impossible to leave the military of the terrorist state at the nuclear power plant. There are situations when the fate of everyone on the continent depends on keeping one’s word. This is exactly the situation now.

Ukraine has repeatedly demonstrated that we always keep our word. Always. This is evident in many areas.

Of course, we did everything to ensure that the IAEA got access to the Zaporizhzhia NPP. I believe that this mission can still be fruitful.

And also – this is another example – we have fulfilled our obligations for the grain export initiative, which alleviates the food crisis in the world. And therefore, it prevents a new migrant crisis. Famine in the countries of Africa and Asia would lead to new waves of migrants to Europe and, in particular, to the Mediterranean coast, to Italy. But we do everything for this not to happen.

Ukrainian food has already reached 20 countries by sea. Our wheat was also sent to such countries as Ethiopia and Yemen, where the situation is particularly difficult. We will continue to keep our word on food safety guarantees.

We are ready to help stop the price chaos in Europe. While Russia is making efforts to increase gas shortages on the market and prices, Ukraine is willing to increase electricity exports to EU countries. The return of the Zaporizhzhia plant to a safe mode of operation and its connection to the Ukrainian power grid is important particularly for this as well. The Russian presence at the plant significantly weakens our ability to help Europe in the energy sphere.

At the expense of our electricity exports, we can stabilize the energy consumption of our neighbors in the EU, and as a result, this will reduce Russia’s energy pressure on the whole of Europe, and therefore on Italy. Even now, despite all the difficulties, we can export such a volume of electricity that corresponds to at least eight percent of the consumption of the whole of Italy.

Moreover, Ukraine can become a green energy hub for Europe, which will replace Russia’s dirty energy resources. Dirty – in different senses of the word: both environmentally and morally. Our country has a huge natural potential for the development of capacities in green energy and in the production of green hydrogen. This is a potential of at least tens, and possibly hundreds of gigawatts of green electrical power and millions of tons of green hydrogen. It is important that there is already an infrastructure for transporting electricity and hydrogen to the EU. All this is there. And we have always kept our word on providing Europe with energy resources. Just compare it to the typical behavior of Russia, which always breaches treaties and uses the economy for political blackmail, not fulfilling its own promises.

Even during a full-scale war, Ukraine did everything to gain the status of a candidate for EU membership. We quickly and efficiently fulfilled our obligations and we will do everything to start negotiations on EU membership. We will definitely be together with you in a united Europe. I am grateful to Italy and I am personally grateful to Prime Minister Mario Draghi for supporting our country on this European path and in protecting it from Russian aggression. Every word of our agreements with Mr. Draghi has been adhered to one hundred percent. A truly worthy person, truly worthy relations between our states.

And life itself demonstrates that we need even more integration, even more agreements and results.

We must ensure full compliance with every promise to increase pressure on Russia to finally stop the radiation blackmail, guarantee the complete safety of the Zaporizhzhia NPP and four other large nuclear facilities in Ukraine.

All words regarding the support of Ukraine with weapons, shells and finances must be confirmed by actions as long as this war continues. Russia does not understand the words of peace. But it feels the strength on the battlefield very well.

Strength should be with Ukraine, with the free world. Including the sanctions that the world applies as self-defense against Russian aggression. Strength should also be with business, primarily in Europe. The reputation of none of the companies will withstand radiation sickness. Therefore, it is necessary to immediately sever relations with the country that resorted to radiation blackmail. And don’t wait for disasters to make decisions, switch to predictable partners. Ukraine is just such a partner.

Of course, now it is the war. Of course, Russian missiles hit our land. We lose people every day. And I will remind you of just one terrible number – 379. This is the number of Ukrainian children killed by Russian strikes. More than 735 children were wounded. All together in Europe and in the free world we have the power to end this war. And therefore, over time, we can move to much more meaningful economic relations.

Ukraine is already one of the world’s largest producers of agricultural crops. You have already talked about this today. And together we can build one of the largest agro-processing clusters, strengthen our ability to be a guarantor of food security making Ukraine a place of production of affordable food for the whole world.

Also, Ukraine is ideal for locating any processing enterprises. From woodworking to all types of mechanical engineering. We have a large amount of almost all resources and minerals – from gas to lithium, qualified people, fast logistics to the European market, good access to it. We want it, we strive for it.

Ukraine is an ambitious reconstruction project after hostilities. Reconstruction worth hundreds of billions of euros – of everything that Russia destroyed with its terror. Tens of thousands of different objects have to be created virtually anew. And I am grateful to those Italian companies that have already shown their interest.

And Ukraine is a completely new defense and security sector, whose power will match what we experienced in this war, and which will make a fundamental contribution to the security of Europe in the coming decades.

Of course, after we force Russia to leave our land and make peace. And this will be possible if all our partners keep their word. Just as Ukraine does. Just as Italy does.

I thank you for the firmness of the Italian word, for the actions that confirm that word. Thank you for supporting our state, for supporting our people who found refuge on your land. We will never forget it. I say this frankly, honestly, from the heart, from every citizen.

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen!

Dear participants of the Forum!

I am grateful for this opportunity to address you and everyone present, as well as all Europeans!

Today is an important day for us – the Day of Remembrance of the Defenders of Ukraine who died in the struggle for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of our state. At this time, in August 2014, Ukrainian warriors were vilely killed near the city of Ilovaisk in Donbas. They were brutally shot by Russian troops. Ukraine lost hundreds of its sons then – in a few days. Hundreds of those thousands perished in the war since 2014.

In the war that reached the scale of a total war on February 24 of this year. Russia’s full-scale war against the life and freedom of our people, against ordinary peaceful cities that are being destroyed by Russian artillery, and against the culture of our people, which Russia wants to completely erase – Russian propagandists and officials do not even conceal this goal, they say absolutely openly that they want to destroy everything Ukrainian. So that it does not exist.

They do not perceive the very fact of the independent existence of our people. Like any of your people. As we repel Russian aggression on our soil, we protect every European people from exactly the same expansion – the expansion of those who have nothing human left in them.

Is there any human in someone who rapes children in front of their parents? In the one who forces the inhabitants of the entire village – everyone from small children to the elderly – to sit in the basement of the school for a month? Is there any human in someone who strikes heavy anti-ship missiles, which were built to destroy aircraft carriers, at an ordinary shopping mall full of people. In the one who supplies shells to the artillery, which day after day burns city blocks, ordinary residential buildings. In the one who interrogates and tortures people in the so-called filtration camps created by Russian forces throughout the occupied territory. Imagine: XXI century, filtration camps. Is there any human in someone who separates Ukrainian children from their parents and gives them for criminal adoption in Russia knowing that these children have relatives in Ukraine. Relatives who are alive and who are looking for them.

When we talk about Russian aggression against Ukraine and all of Russia’s pressure on Europe accompanying this aggression – and this is very cynical pressure, this is the deliberate destruction of normal economic and social life, this is the energy and price crises in Europe, which are artificially exacerbated by Russia – when we talk about all this, we mean not only those who are at the highest levels of the Russian power hierarchy. We are talking about thousands and thousands of different people with the passport of a Russian citizen.

About those who shoot at our soldiers on the battlefield and shoot civilians in the back of the head. We are talking about those who press the buttons to strike Russian missiles at Ukrainian cities. About those who design and manufacture these missiles and other weapons used for terror. Those who work in companies that provide for the Russian army and special services. Those who conscript, transport and in every way support Russian murderers. We are talking about those who provide for corrupt Russian officials and generals, who manage numerous businesses that are related to corrupt Russian officials. Those who sow hatred for any manifestation of freedom, promote war, support repression. Those who remain silent when they see all this and do nothing – do not protest, do not fight – even when they are completely safe in European countries.

Russia’s war against Ukraine has been ongoing since 2014. For more than six months, the Russian state has been spending all its available resources to destroy our state and split Europe. Most European countries have already seen and experienced one or another of Russia’s attempts to put pressure, inflict damage and bring suffering to people.

And according to the logic of any normal person, it is the citizens of Russia who have something human left in them who should be the first to oppose the war. If they have conscience, if they have shame. But we do not see constant and noticeable anti-war protests with the participation of citizens of this state – even where there is no risk for them of any repression for protests, I repeat this once again. Why so? I’ll leave you with that question. It is complicated – so why is it so?

Europe is not a quiet haven where you can just sit out the time when someone else is fighting against Russian terror. But, unfortunately, many citizens of Russia perceive Europe this way. That is why they need European visas. And, unfortunately, none of your states is immune from the fact that war criminals, on whose hands there is the blood of Ukrainians, will come to you simply as tourists, and one day they will receive an order – and they will become not tourists at all.

It shouldn’t be like that. And all of us in Europe have to protect ourselves from this. Both those who are part of the European Union and all other European countries. Because Russian terror is an equal threat to all of us, to all who live here, to all European nations.

The one who does not fight against terror supports it, and therefore shares the responsibility for all its consequences. This should be the rule that overrides all other rules. A state that threatens everyone around it – from the Baltic states to Kazakhstan – should be under a full embargo from everyone in the world who values freedom and respects themselves. We need an embargo on all relations with Russia, with a terrorist state, as long as Russia continues the war, occupies foreign territory, destroys the lives of other nations.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Ukraine is paying the most terrible price for freedom and for the ideals we share with you. Thousands of people died. Dozens of cities and villages were destroyed, now they are black ruins that look through burned windows at Russia and whether the world is able to stop it and bring it to account for everything done against peaceful people.

Millions of Ukrainians were forced to leave their native places fleeing hostilities. And we can’t stand seeing how someone under the flag of the occupiers humiliates our people in some European cities sometimes. We can’t stand seeing how thousands of those responsible for this war smile cynically, hoping that Russia will succeed in breaking Europe and returning to, as they call it, business as usual. And hundreds of millions of people throughout the free world can’t stand seeing it either.

Hence, we need to act now so that our shared freedom is protected for generations to come. The stability and free development of Eastern Europe, the Balkans and all other parts of our continent of values, our continent of freedom must be protected and guaranteed. And that means very specific things.

Sufficient defense support for Ukraine, support with weapons, shells, so that this war does not drag on, so that victory is achieved as soon as possible.

Sufficient sanction pressure on Russia – to destroy the illusion of the Russian leadership that they will be able withstand the struggle against the free world.

Sufficient protection of Europe itself – our people, our markets from Russia’s hybrid aggression, which is betting on the spread of crises and poverty as much as it is betting on weapons.

This also means our close coordination in strengthening our association, in the integration processes in Europe, in security cooperation between our states. A stronger Ukraine means a stronger Europe. A stronger Balkans means a stronger Europe. We must continue to help each other on the European path, as we are doing now.

And it is imperative that the entire European Union, all European countries and the entire free world encourage Russian citizens to fight for a change in Russian state policy, encourage them not to remain silent and not to be complicit in terror.

You know what to do. I am grateful to everyone who is already helping Ukraine. By helping us, you gave not excess, but what really matters to you. We appreciate it. We know that when we are fighting, when all of us are fighting together against this aggression, we are not just fighting for ourselves, but for Europe to win. The real struggle of each country for independence is a difficult path, it is what generations gain. And now we have the opportunity to achieve victory for ourselves, for our children, for our grandchildren, for all generations of our nations who fought for freedom earlier.

I am sure we will win. We will win together. And this will be done in the name of Europe, in the name of all those who gave their lives for freedom.

I thank you for your support!

I thank you for your attention!

Glory to Ukraine!