Tag: Volodymyr Zelenskyy

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

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

The implementation of the Initiative on the export of Ukrainian grain and other agricultural products from our ports in the Black Sea began today. The first vessel carrying 26,000 tons of corn left the port of Odesa.

As of now, it is too early to draw any conclusions and predict further events. But the port started working, the export traffic started, and this can be called the first positive signal that there is a chance to stop the spread of the food crisis in the world.

Currently, everything depends on the implementation of the security parameters of the Initiative, which is the responsibility of the partners, primarily the United Nations and Turkey.

We cannot have the illusions that Russia will simply refrain from trying to disrupt Ukrainian exports. Russia consistently provoked famine in the countries of Africa and Asia, which traditionally imported large volumes of Ukrainian food. And now – in conditions of extreme heat, as this year in Europe, the threat of a price crisis and a certain food shortage is also possible for some European countries.

So, we’ll see how the agreements will work and whether there will really be security. 16 vessels are already waiting their turn for departure, and we are ready to make a proper contribution to the stabilization of the world food market.

For our state, this is also of great benefit – and this is not only about billions of dollars in foreign exchange revenue. About half a million Ukrainians are involved in the cultivation of agricultural export crops, and if we add related industries, then this is plus a million jobs. That is why there is the appropriate state attention to the implementation of the export Initiative. Our people really need it.

Today I spoke with President of France Emmanuel Macron, in particular about the restoration of our agricultural exports by sea. In general, the negotiations lasted one and a half hours and were very meaningful: relations in the defense sphere, first of all. A wide range of security issues – thank you for the assistance already given to Ukraine, which effectively protects us on the battlefield.

We also discussed macro-financial support for our state – I asked Mr. President to help us unblock macro-financial aid, which has stalled in Europe. I want to remind all the leaders that it is 9 billion euros. These are not trifles for us, but important social things – these are our pensions, these are our salaries, support for IDPs, and therefore we expect appropriate decisions from specific government officials.

Mr. President of France informed me about the results of his African tour – we are now strengthening this direction of our foreign policy. I invited President Macron to participate in the online summit of the Crimea Platform, which will take place shortly.

Last year, we created the Crimea Platform and are developing this format – despite all the threats and tangible diplomatic opposition from Russia.

During the years of occupation, Russia turned Crimea into a large military prison camp – and tens of thousands of people became its victims. Crimea became a bridgehead for attacks on the free territory of our country… The weak and insufficiently principled reaction to the occupation of Crimea in 2014 and in the following years became one of the prerequisites for the fact that Russian aggression managed to grow to such a scale. We will gradually restore justice regarding our Crimea.

The situation on the battlefield has not undergone significant changes over the past day. Fierce battles continue in Donbas, in the Kharkiv region, the struggle for the south of our country continues…

Ukrainian artillery and intelligence have already done a lot to reduce the fire potential of the occupiers – and it is tangible. Today I want to thank all our warriors who destroy Russian logistics, who destroy the occupiers’ ammunition and who do not leave the occupiers a single safe place on our land.

And I also want to thank our partners now – everyone who supplies Ukraine with modern and effective artillery and MLRS. The power of the democratic world is well felt on the battlefield in Ukraine these weeks.

And today, another conversation took place in the format Ukraine – United States – three on three – Andriy Yermak and Jacob Sullivan, Dmytro Kuleba and Antony Blinken, Valerii Zaluzhny and Mark Milley. This is our continuous format, which has already allowed us to make a fundamental contribution to the protection of the entire free world. We’ve coordinated next steps in support of Ukraine.

Eternal glory to everyone who fights for freedom!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Ukrainians!

Today, one of the most brutal shellings of Mykolaiv and the region over the entire period of the full-scale war took place. Dozens of missiles and rockets… The occupiers hit residential buildings, schools, other social infrastructure, and industrial facilities.

The Russian attack took the lives of Oleksiy Vadaturskyi and his wife Raisa, the founder of one of the largest Ukrainian agricultural companies “Nibulon”, the Hero of Ukraine. My sincere condolences to the relatives and friends of the Vadaturskyi couple.

It is exactly such people, such companies, our Ukrainian south that have guaranteed the world’s food security. It has always been so. And it will be so again. The Russian terrorists should not even hope that they will be able to destroy the social and industrial potential of Ukraine and walk through the ruins.

Ukraine and our people, our capabilities are definitely more powerful than any Russian missiles and shells.

Now the Russian army is trying to strengthen its positions in the occupied areas of the south of our country, increasing activity in the relevant areas. Part of the Russian forces from their positions in the east are moved to the south – to the Kherson region and the Zaporizhzhia region… But this will not help them there.

None of the Russian strikes goes unanswered by our military and intelligence officers. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are ready to respond to any new activity of the occupiers.

And today I want to thank every resident of Mykolaiv for their indomitability, for protecting the city and the region. I also thank Nikopol, Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih and the entire Dnipropetrovsk region, the strong people of Zaporizhzhia and the region, all Ukrainians of the Kherson region, everyone who defends the outskirts of Odesa and the region… Thank you for your courage!

Strategically, Russia has no chance of winning this war. And it is necessary to hold on, so that even at the tactical levels, the terrorist state feels its defeat. We have to hold on in the south, in the east and everywhere. We have to hold on in defense, diplomacy and politics. To preserve our unity – and not only until the victory, but also after it, in order to qualitatively restore everything destroyed by the occupiers. I believe that we will do all this.

I signed several important laws today, in particular the law on providing additional guarantees of protection to media representatives working in the areas of hostilities. This will strengthen the protection of our journalists.

The law on ensuring the rights and freedoms of IDPs is eliminating bureaucratic barriers that limited assistance to people.

The law on the protection of the civilian population in the event of emergency situations and hostilities.

Also, the law that creates conditions for comprehensive thermal modernization of buildings and simplifies the process of restoring the residential sector damaged by the strikes of the occupiers.

Important ratification laws, some other acts as well.

We are preparing for a new week – as always, full of international activity. Already tomorrow there will be important negotiations with European partners. In a few days I will continue delivering speeches to the international community, communicating with different audiences – it is very important, in particular with the student audience.

No matter what happens and no matter what the occupiers’ plans are, we must do our job – protect our state and take care of each other.

The more effective we are in this – all of us, all citizens of Ukraine – the faster we will achieve victory.

Thank you to everyone who fights for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Dear Ukrainians!

During this day, our state received many signals from different countries condemning the Russian terrorist act in Olenivka. The world sees the truth. And I thank all our partners who are ready to join in establishing all the circumstances of this terrible execution of our prisoners.

All evidence of this crime committed by the occupiers will be collected. Everyone is guilty – who approved, who organized, who blasted these people, who knew about it – they all will be found. But still, this is not enough now.

There must be legal steps on the part of the world community against the terrorist state. Condemnation at the level of political rhetoric is not enough for this mass murder. What relationship can be with the terrorist after that? What kind of business can be done with such a country?

Ukrainian diplomats and all friends of Ukraine abroad will increase their activity even more to track and destroy all those connections of the terrorist state with the free world, which Russia still uses.

And formal legal recognition of Russia as a terrorist state, in particular, recognition by the United States Department of State, is needed not as a political gesture, but as an effective defense of the free world. This decision will automatically make it difficult for the terrorist state to exist, and will automatically cut various political and business ties that Russia would maintain otherwise.

And all this will happen one hundred percent. It will have to be done – it’s only a matter of time and the format of making this decision. And the sooner it happens, the less evil Russia will have time to do.

It is important to hear exactly the same motivation now for all our people who still remain in Donbas, in the areas of the fiercest fighting. There are hundreds of thousands of people, tens of thousands of children… Many of people refuse to leave… But it really needs to be done. This decision will still have to be made. Anyway! Believe me.

And the sooner it is done, the more people leave Donetsk region now, the fewer people the Russian army will have time to kill.

Therefore, if you have the opportunity, please talk to those who still remain in the combat zones in Donbas. Please convince them that it is necessary to leave, especially if they are families with children. If you have the opportunity to help displaced people, do it.

There is a government decision on mandatory evacuation from Donetsk region, everything is being organized. Full support, full assistance – both logistical and payments. We only need a decision from the people themselves, who have not yet made it for themselves. Go, we will help.

We are not Russia. That is why every life is important for us. And we will use all available opportunities to save as many lives as possible and to limit Russian terror as much as possible.

At this stage of the war, terror is the main weapon for Russia. And that is why the main task of every Ukrainian, every defender of freedom and humanity in the world is to do everything to isolate the terrorist state and to protect as many people as possible from Russian attacks.

I am grateful to everyone who is fighting for Ukraine! To our heroes!

Grateful to everyone who saves our people from this Russian terror!

We will defeat everyone!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Dear Ukrainian men and women!

Dear all our defenders!

I am returning from Odesa region. In particular, today I met with our heroes – soldiers of the Special Operations Forces.

I thanked them for their service, awarded the best and emphasized that their main task is to ensure that the enemy did not have a single calm moment on this land. The land must burn under their feet.

Every occupier who abuses Ukrainians, who tortures and kills, should know that there will be punishment for this. If some of the Russian killers hope that they will not be brought to justice, that they will hide somewhere, let them know – they will answer in any case. Geography, time, borders, walls will not stop a just retribution.

I heard reports today about the attack of the occupiers on Olenivka, Donetsk region. It was a deliberate Russian war crime, a deliberate mass murder of Ukrainian prisoners of war. More than 50 dead…

When the defenders of Azovstal left the plant, the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross acted as guarantors of the life and health of our soldiers. The Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Security Service, the Main Intelligence Directorate and the representative of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine issued a joint statement addressing to the UN and the Red Cross as guarantors of those agreements regarding the defenders of Azovstal. I support this statement. Now the guarantors must react. They must protect the lives of hundreds of Ukrainian prisoners of war.

And I add on my own: there should be a clear legal recognition of Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. I am especially appealing to the United States of America – a solution is needed, needed now.

Russia has proven with numerous terrorist attacks that it is the biggest source of terrorism in the world today. It’s a fact.

Ukrainian diplomats brought the information about the Russian attack on Olenivka to the highest international level. The UN Security Council has been informed. All participants in international relations will know what really happened. Russia won’t be able to lie to anyone.

The international community is also informed about all the details of our resistance to Russian hunger terror.

Concrete work on the restoration of Ukrainian grain exports began today in Odesa. It’s important. It’s important not only from the point of view of the economic strength of our state, which is needed to withstand this war. It’s important for the world to withstand the pressure of the food crisis. The more Ukrainian grain is on the global market, the more stable the situation with our partners will be, and therefore our joint countermeasures against the terrorist state will be more effective. I emphasize – a terrorist state.

I don’t want to make any forecast now – let’s see how the agreements on grain export will be implemented. The UN, Turkey and other international partners are responsible for the security side of this process.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine do everything necessary to protect our coast.

I want to say one more thing today. Russian terror is primarily aimed at breaking our inner strength. Russia cannot do anything to us on the battlefield. Our defenders are very strong. You and I should be just as strong.

Our emotions, our common will to fight must be strong until our very victory. No matter what the occupiers do, no matter how they try to break our spirit, we must hold on, be mobilized and fully focused on what is necessary for our victory.

If any of you feel that you cannot stand the evil that you see, think about how else you can personally help the defense of Ukraine.

Help the Armed Forces! Tell the world the facts about Russian terror! And convince everyone you know in partner countries to increase aid to Ukraine.

We will definitely win. But we have to come to that. We are all together.

Eternal memory to all victims of Russian terror!

Eternal glory to each and every one who destroys these occupiers!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Dear Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine,

Dear friend Gitanas,

Dear Mrs. President Roberta Metsola,

Dear deputies, dear government officials,

Dear military,

And all our citizens of Ukraine!

We are citizens of the strongest state in the world. The state that is at war. The state, which at the same time is being reformed. And the state that ensured the most powerful unification of democracies in history.

The state, which on the 155th day of Russia’s full-scale war against us, has the strength to celebrate its day – the Day of Ukrainian Statehood.

We ensured that the values of the free world did not remain mere rhetoric and actually started working to protect civilization. We made the European Union the most united in all the years of its existence, and it is getting stronger thanks to our strength. We ensured that all the tyrants of this world saw the potential of democracy.

This was done by us, the citizens of Ukraine. All of us – military and civilians, diplomats and volunteers, civil servants and businesses, politicians, social leaders and media… Each and every one who worked conscientiously at his and her level for the sake of one thing – for the sake of Ukraine, one’s family and our future.

We, the citizens of a state, which has over a thousand years of history, did it. Over a thousand years of its culture. Over a thousand years of its character – Ukrainian character, unbreakable one. Which endured on our land under the hits of many invaders…

Where have you come, the Russian army blinded by your pathetic ambitions? You’ve come up against us – those who were prepared for this crucial war for independence by dozens and dozens of generations of the Ukrainian people who lived and live here, who fought and fight here, who built and build here and who dreamed and dreams above everything else that there is no someone else’s rule over them and Ukraine. It’s time for this dream to become a reality forever.

This is our time! We will make this dream come true.

We will become not a new legend of heroic resistance, but a state of winners. Not 300 Spartans, worthy of films, books and plays, but the multimillion-strong nation-hero which is worthy of living, worthy of winning and which will teach others in the world how to defend themselves and how to win. We will be remembered not as those who tried, but as those who preserved, strengthened and passed our state to our children so that they could pass it on to their children. A free, strong, modern and efficient state.

We will do it – we, citizens of Ukraine.

Friend Gitanas Nausėda, dear Mr. President! I want to thank you and – in your person – the entire Lithuanian people today, on the Day of our Statehood, for the significant, important, heroic support that Ukraine received. Thank you!

It was not politics for our states – it reflects the equally strong love for freedom of our nations. Nations who walked and keep walking together through European history. Thank you again!

Mrs. Roberta, Mrs. President of the European Parliament! I would like to note your bravery. You visited Kyiv at a time when the invaders’ army was threatening our capital, and you were the first among the heads of EU institutions to do so. At that time we saw our character in your bravery, we saw our person – a person who will always defend the values of Europe and will not betray freedom. I am thankful to you!

I am thankful to all friends and partners of Ukraine – both from large states and from geographically smaller ones yet whose will is not inferior to the will of the largest. I am grateful to everyone who helps Ukrainians destroy evil!

Due to the cruelty of history – after several unfortunate historic turns – our state was not mentioned for some time. Then they’ve been saying that Ukraine is somewhere next to Russia, or is even allegedly a part of it. We know that now they definitely know – Ukraine is the only state in the world that has the bravery to beat Russia. Beat on our land notwithstanding any of its threats.

It is important that we make others fall in love with our Ukrainian indomitability. It is important that we are all a state that functions for the sake of Ukrainian interests and is reckoned with by everyone in the world. It is important that we are a democratic state that is strengthening its institutions even now, especially now – during such a devastating war.

We applied to join the European Union and were granted candidacy with speed and under conditions unprecedented for any other state. This is our development. These are our friends, their help. These are our interests. This is Ukrainian speed – what we became capable of when we freed ourselves from illusions and achieved the greatest national unity in history. Glory to Ukraine!

It is with the same speed that we should come to the beginning of negotiations regarding Ukraine’s membership in the European Union. We will do everything we have to for this. We will synchronize the legislation of Ukraine with the law of the European Union.

A plan for the implementation of all EU regulations and directives as part of the fulfillment of the Association Agreement with the European Union has also been formed. This is actually a joint task for us, for you, dear deputies, and for the Government of our country.

And this corresponds to our new reality. The fact that we have transferred the process of European integration from the sphere of foreign policy to the sphere of domestic policy. This is where real work, real European integration, starts.

Ukraine has always been Europe. Our values have always been European. Our state-building experience of different times is a European experience. And now we have come to the point where our state system is institutionally becoming Europe.

We have started the process of de-oligarchization – a registry is being formed that is ready to put the oligarchs under the power of society.

I have signed a decree on the creation of a competition commission for the selection of candidates for the High Council of Justice, and thanks to this and other steps, we will do everything to ensure that the fundamental judicial reform provides every Ukrainian with access to honest and competent justice.

Today, the new Prosecutor General finalized the appointment of the new head of the Specialized Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office with his first decision.

And it is an honor for me to announce another very important step now. The European Union has the College of Europe in Bruges and Natolin, which are some of the most prestigious institutions of postgraduate education that prepare professionals to work in institutions of the EU and member states. We are establishing our College of Europe in Ukraine.

A corresponding memorandum has already been signed between the Government of Ukraine and the College of Europe in Natolin. At the first stage, a faculty of European integration will be established in one of the Ukrainian higher education institutions, and later, on its basis, the College of Europe in the framework of the Presidential University will be established.

And although I have been told that this will not be resolved in months, as I have been told many times on other issues, I know that the creation of our College of Europe will not take long. I’m sure it will start working shortly. We already have this experience – to turn into months what was supposed to take years and decades, and into weeks – what was supposed to take months.

Such a College will become not only a professional basis for the European policy of Ukraine as a member of the EU, but also our contribution to the development of European institutions. This is what we, the citizens of Ukraine, are capable of. This is our statehood.

We showed strength in battles and united the world with the best emotions that people have. We fight against the terror of the occupiers, we defend humanity for all nations. We guarantee that the borders of Europe will never again move further west than our eastern state border. And we make our state and public institutions advanced.

And when today, on this Day of Ukrainian Statehood, here, in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, before the eyes of the entire Ukrainian people, I will honor strong people for strong deeds with the Cross of Combat Merit, I want all Ukrainians to feel: we are behind those who defend our country on the battlefield, and behind our backs – the backs of millions of Ukrainians living now – there are those who have been creating Ukrainian history, Ukrainian culture and Ukrainian character for centuries.

We must be worthy of the height of our people, all its generations, and the thousand-year weight of our statehood.

I congratulate you all on the holiday!

I am thankful to our heroes!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Today, we celebrated the Day of Ukrainian Statehood for the first time. And I was happy to see how many people perceived this holiday warmly, congratulated on it, smiled and were proud of Ukraine.

It seems that we should have celebrated such a day for many, many years – it is so logical. But this holiday was established only last year. Well, it is forever now.

During a solemn meeting in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, I presented combat awards to our warriors – “Crosses of Combat Merit”. In particular, to Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of the Khortytsia Operational-Strategic Command, Major-General Andriy Kovalchuk, Brigadier-General Andriy Hnatov, Brigadier-General Mykhailo Drapaty, Colonels Yevhen Bulatsyk, Mykola Mishakin and Oleh Fedoriv, ​​Lieutenant-Colonel Pavlo Rozlach, Majors Ruslan Maryshev and Denys Nokhrin, Captain Dmytro Berehovy, Senior Lieutenants Dmytro Linnyk and Anatoliy Tantsyura, Medical Service Lieutenant Yulia Holovna, Sergeant Pavlina Mykolayevych, Staff Sergeant Roman Palamarchuk, Junior Sergeant Oleksandr Rohachevsky, Senior Sailor Olena Zablotska and Private Serhiy Mishchenko. Thank you all for your service and performance in battles!

Today, in the Mariyinsky Palace, I handed out the passports of the citizens of our state to young Ukrainians – boys and girls who were forced to leave their homes due to hostilities, young volunteers, winners of the All-Ukrainian Olympics, children of our warriors who defend Ukraine, children of those who gave life for the independence of the state. An inspiring ceremony that affirms the power of Ukrainian citizenship! The future of Ukraine is in such children, in their sincerity and intelligence. I am proud to be the President of such citizens.

I had the honor to thank one of our greatest friends – Mr. President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda for the support and extremely important things that strengthened our defense. President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola – a principled friend of ours in European structures – addressed the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in a special format.

There were important phone conversations. In the morning – with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. I thanked him for his prayers for Ukraine, for his wishes of victory and peace. In the evening, I spoke with Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte – very meaningfully about our future cooperation.

I held another meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. We considered four issues. What can be said publicly now: we analyzed the current state of providing weapons to our defenders, the supply of aid from partners and, in general, the state of implementation of the Defense Plan of Ukraine, which was put into effect on February 24.

Only in the first half of this day, and only in Kyiv, there were four air alarms. The Russian army launched missile attacks on the Kyiv region, Kropyvnytskyi, hit Mykolaiv, continued a series of strategically senseless and brutal onslaughts on Donbas… I thank each and every one who repels this terror.

And I also want to thank the American senators who unanimously approved the resolution calling on the US Department of State to recognize Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. You can take any day in Ukraine – today or any other after February 24 – to see that no one in the world invests in terrorism more than Russia. This really needs a legal response at the global level. And there is no rational reason why such a reaction should not occur, particularly in the United States.

We continue to accumulate international humanitarian support. I am glad that Demna, the creative director of the Balenciaga fashion house, has become the new ambassador of the United24 state charity platform. He told me that the decision to become a United24 ambassador was related to his personal story, as he had experienced the trauma of being a refugee. Demna will help Ukraine in the direction of reconstruction. Let me remind you that Andriy Shevchenko, Elina Svitolina, Liev Schreiber and Imagine Dragons have already become ambassadors of United24.

We will do everything so that there is no indifference left in the world towards this terrible war that Russia has unleashed against our state and against the very idea of freedom.

We will definitely win!

Congratulations once again on the Day of Ukrainian Statehood!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

A brief report on the passing day.

First of all, about the Antonivsky bridge in Kherson and other crossings in the region. Of course, they will all be rebuilt, but by us already.

We are doing everything to ensure that the occupiers do not have any logistical opportunities on our land.

Whatever plans they have, we will disrupt them. And we will liberate our territory with military, diplomatic and all other available means until we reach the legal borders of Ukraine.

Second, today the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved the appointment of a new Prosecutor General, Andriy Kostin. The person is decent, professional, he knows how to work systematically. Society considers the provision of everything necessary to hold Russia accountable for the war as one of his most important tasks. This is cooperation with the International Criminal Court, with partner states that help identify specific culprits among the Russian military; this is the recording of the facts of the crimes committed by the occupiers, ensuring the formation of an evidentiary base for the criminal prosecution of every war criminal. The Prosecutor General’s Office is one of the key institutions working to hold all Russian murderers and torturers accountable for their crimes against Ukrainians.

Third, we are preparing to increase our export of electricity to consumers in the European Union. Despite such a war, we ensured the connection of the energy grid of Ukraine to the energy system of the entire Europe in record time. Our exports allow us not only to earn foreign currency, but also to help our partners withstand Russian energy pressure.

We will gradually make Ukraine one of the guarantors of European energy security thanks to our domestic electricity production.

Fourth, we are preparing for very important political and diplomatic events scheduled for the second half of this week. First of all, this concerns tomorrow’s celebration of the Day of Ukrainian Statehood. But not only that. There will be more events, there will be more news. Every week we strengthen our state, every week we do things that bring us closer to the European Union, and every week we provide additional forces to confront Russia.

Fifth, a joint meeting of the International Sanctions Group was held today under the leadership of Andriy Yermak and Michael McFaul with the participation of representatives of the Ukrainian Parliament – the leadership of the Verkhovna Rada, factions and groups. New solutions are being developed that will increase the price for the war for Russia. In particular, there is an initiative to strengthen responsibility at the level of the European Union for evasion of sanctions and an initiative on mandatory disclosure of information about any business contacts, joint ownership of corporate rights and property with citizens of Russia. The Yermak-McFaul sanctions group will coordinate its work with representatives of our parliament.

And one more thing.

During the full-scale war, I awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine to 160 Ukrainian warriors. And among them is one of the most effective Ukrainian pilots, Major Oleksandr Kukurba. In April, in the Mariyinsky Palace, in the White Hall of Heroes of Ukraine, I presented the Gold Star Order to him. Major Kukurba died in battle yesterday. It was his hundredth combat sortie. A real Ukrainian hero whom we will always remember.

Eternal memory to all who died for Ukraine!

Glory to everyone who defends our state!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Ukrainians!

Unbreakable people of the strongest country!

Today, the occupiers hit the Odesa region again, firing missiles at ordinary houses again. Missiles designed to destroy warships and other significant targets. It is with such heavy weapons that the Russian army destroys the ordinary private sector near the sea. People lived and had a vacation there…

And we will certainly hit back for this, no matter what lies the Russian Ministry of Defense tells about such strikes. The constant Russian terror of Kharkiv and the region, Mykolaiv, towns and villages of the Zaporizhzhia region and Dnipropetrovsk region, Donbas, border areas of the Sumy region and Chernihiv region – for all this the occupiers will not go unpnished.

For four months, the Russian state has not provided to its citizens any information – even censored – about the losses of the occupation contingent. Total silence. Nothing was published or said in numerous interviews and speeches at the political and military levels. However, this number is already almost 40,000 – that is how many killed people the Russian army has lost since February 24. And tens of thousands more were wounded and maimed.

And if the Russian state does not say this officially, even in general terms, everyone who still has any contacts in Russia or informational influence on their society should convey this simple fact to whomever possible. Among the occupiers only those killed are 40 thousand.

Today it became known that Britain has expanded the list of sanctions against Russia. Dozens more people and organizations were added. This is the right trend, and I am grateful to Britain for its unwavering firmness in sanctions matters. This is an example that should be followed by everyone else in the Western world.

In particular, today’s news about another provoked increase in gas prices on the European market above 2,000 dollars per 1,000 cubic meters is already a sufficient reason to expand sanctions against Russia. Because it is clear to everyone that this is a deliberate price terror by Russia against Europe. Using Gazprom, Moscow is doing everything to make this winter the toughest for European countries. It is necessary to respond to terror – respond with sanctions.

Today, for the first time in the history of interstate relations between Ukraine and Uruguay, I held negotiations with Mr. President of this Latin American country. I thanked for support in international organizations and called on Uruguay, like other states in the Latin American region, to impose sanctions on Russia. We will do everything so that there is not a single region left in the world where the truth about Russian aggression is not understood. We already have communication with Chile, Paraguay, Costa Rica. And now – Uruguay. We’ll continue this work.

And a few more significant events that are worth mentioning. Today, the Winston Churchill Leadership Award ceremony was held in London with the participation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. I believe that this is an award of all our heroes, all our people, all of us who are resisting tyranny each at their own level. And it was really an honor for me to receive this award.

Today, in the Netherlands – a country for the understanding of which we’ve been working for a long time – the Ukrainian people were honored with another award – a special Dutch Independence Award. Our ambassador received it on behalf of Ukrainians.

These iconic things also reflect the radical changes in the attitude towards Ukraine that have taken place in the world. Our bravery is truly an inspiration for all free nations and the community of democracies in general. And just imagine how inspiring the Ukrainian victory will be.

In the evening, I signed a decree awarding our warriors. 198 combatants were awarded state awards of Ukraine. Two of them – posthumously.

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

Eternal glory to all those who fight for the independence of our country!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

The visit of the President of Guatemala to Kyiv took place today – the first in all the years of our independence. And the thing is not only that we received full support from this Latin American state, but also that our relations with it are a bridge to the entire region of Latin America.

Ukrainian diplomacy is gradually opening up new broad directions for our society – Central and South America, Africa, countries of the Arab world, South and Southeast Asia.

Unfortunately, there was not enough attention paid to these macro-regions. And this is tangible when it is necessary to accumulate support for Ukraine, in particular on international platforms.

I am grateful to Guatemala and Mr. President Giammattei, with whom I held talks today, for the principled and consistent condemnation of Russian aggression and participation in the defense of the international legal order.

Crises created by Russia affect everyone in the world, and no one will manage to stay aside when Russia provokes chaos in the food market, in the energy markets or simply in international relations.

Following the negotiations, I am sure that Ukraine’s position will be heard in Latin America. We agreed with Mr. President on the abolition of visa restrictions and the reboot of trade and economic relations between our countries.

Today we saw another gas threat to Europe. Even despite the concession regarding the Nord Stream turbine, Russia is not going to resume gas supplies to European countries, as it is contractually obligated to do. All this is done by Russia deliberately to make it as difficult as possible for Europeans to prepare for winter. And this is an overt gas war that Russia is waging against a united Europe – this is exactly how it should be perceived. And they don’t care what will happen to the people, how they will suffer – from hunger due to the blocking of ports or from winter cold and poverty… Or from occupation. These are just different forms of terror.

And that’s why it is necessary to hit back. Do not think about the way to return some turbine, but strengthen sanctions. Do everything to limit Russian revenues not only from gas and oil, but also from any remaining exports. And sever trade ties with Russia as much as possible, because every such tie is Russia’s potential tool of putting pressure.

The gas blackmail of Europe, which only gets worse every month, is needed by a terrorist state to make life worse for every European. And this can actually be perceived as an incentive for the EU’s eighth sanctions package to be significantly stronger than the recently approved seventh.

I have adopted important personnel decisions today. In particular, Head of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov will also chair the Committee on Intelligence under the President of Ukraine. Combat General Viktor Khorenko has been appointed the new Commander of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. And General Hryhoriy Halahan was transferred to another direction and, with the aim of updating the Security Service of Ukraine, was appointed the First Deputy Head of the Special Operations Center “A” of the Security Service of Ukraine.

And separately, I would like to express gratitude today to our airborne assault troops, the Sicheslav brigade, which “landed” two Russian military aircraft and one helicopter – in a little more than one day. We must do everything to extend such a “landing” experience to all Russian aircraft and missile products in our skies.

Eternal glory to all who fight for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

An important, symbolic week begins tomorrow. The week when we will first celebrate the Day of Ukrainian Statehood on July 28. For the first time.

Celebrate at the time of such a brutal war – in the sixth month of it. After eight years of war in Donbas. But we will celebrate. Despite all. Because Ukrainians cannot be broken.

The Day of Ukrainian Statehood will assert the connection of Ukrainians living now with many generations of our people. The state-building experience of Ukrainians, our culture, our identity, Ukrainian character are more than a thousand years old.

Now, in many exploits of our warriors, in the wisdom of our people in battles, even simply in the conversations of ordinary Ukrainians about what is happening, we can see, we can hear and understand examples of the same characters but hundreds of years ago. We can see examples of the same bravery, the same attitude to life, and most importantly, the attitude towards Ukraine and the enemy.

Only those who do not know the truth of history and do not feel its meaning could decide to attack us. After all that our people have gone through, after all that we have learned over the centuries. Ukrainians will never give up their independence. And they will not break from the inside as has happened more than once. Not this time!

Preserving unity now, working together for the victory is the most important national task that we all will definitely fulfill.

And therefore, we will be able to do what previous generations could not do before. This applies to our defense in this war for independence, to our course towards a united Europe, towards full membership in the EU, and our ability to become one of the most modern states in the world.

There is no one now who would doubt this. There are only those who argue about how to achieve this. It will happen. This is a sign of faith in Ukraine – not only our own faith.

Even the occupiers admit that we will win. We hear it in their conversations – all the time, in what they tell their loved ones when they contact them.

Therefore, we do not slow down and, as every day for five months, we are doing everything to inflict the greatest possible losses on the enemy and to gather as much support as possible for Ukraine.

This week there will be important visits of partners, there will be important negotiations, and most importantly, there will be the further advancement of Ukrainian positions. At the front, in diplomacy, in the economy.

I am grateful to everyone who defends our country!

And I wish all of us, all Ukrainians, a fruitful new week.

Glory to Ukraine!