Tag: Volodymyr Zelenskyy

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

Unbreakable people of the bravest country!

The 65th day of our defense is coming to an end. We are beating the occupiers in all directions where they are trying to advance.

The situation in the Kharkiv region is tough. But our military, our intelligence, have important tactical success.

In Donbas, the occupiers are doing everything to destroy any life in this area. Constant brutal bombings, constant Russian strikes at infrastructure and residential areas show that Russia wants to make this area uninhabited. Therefore, the defense of our land, the protection of our people is literally a struggle for life. For Lysychansk, Severodonetsk, Popasna, Kramatorsk, Slovyansk, Marinka and all other cities and communities of Donbas, which Russian troops want to turn into ruins, absolutely everything is being decided in this war.

Only if Ukraine withstands will they live. If the Russian invaders succeed in realizing their plans, at least in part, they will still have enough artillery and aircraft to destroy the entire Donbas. Just as they destroyed Mariupol.

The city, which was one of the most developed in the region, is simply a Russian concentration camp in the middle of ruins. And the order of the occupiers in that part of Mariupol which they unfortunately still control differs insignificantly from what the Nazis did in the occupied territory of Eastern Europe.

But the Russian troops manage to be even more cynical than the Nazis 80 years ago. At that time, the invaders did not say that it was the Mariupol residents and the defenders of the city who shelled and killed themselves.

I am grateful to the United States, President Biden and Congress for an analogue of the famous Lend-Lease program, which will be very helpful in the fight against Russia, against the Russian invaders. Which helped a lot in the fight against the Nazis during World War II.

I am sure that now the Lend-Lease will help Ukraine and the whole free world beat the ideological successors of the Nazis, who started a war against us on our land. Lend-Lease and other programs in support of Ukraine are concrete proof that freedom is still able to defend itself against tyranny.

Today, the Government of Ukraine considered the issue of eliminating the deficit in the fuel market. Queues and rising prices at gas stations are seen in many regions of our country. The occupiers are deliberately destroying the infrastructure for the production, supply and storage of fuel. Russia has also blocked our ports, so there are no immediate solutions to replenish the deficit. But government officials promise that within a week, maximum two, a system of fuel supply to Ukraine will be provided that will be able to prevent a deficit.

This is a difficult task after the Russian missile strike at the Kremenchuk refinery. But government officials along with fuel suppliers, traders and networks must fulfill this task no matter how difficult it may be. I’m sure they will. We must take from the European Union as much fuel as our citizens need now.

Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukraine Melinda Simmons returned to Kyiv today.

Currently, 27 foreign diplomatic missions operate in the capital of our country. And this is an extremely important gesture of support for Ukraine, for which we are grateful to all of them.

Such gestures, together with strong defensive, financial and political support from the free world, mean that the need to end the war is becoming more and more obvious to Russia. The defeat of the occupiers is unalterable.

In the temporarily occupied areas of the Kherson region, collaborators say that they are allegedly preparing for the transition to the “ruble zone”. Any attempt to transfer our territory to Russia’s administrative, monetary, or any other system will mean only one thing: Russia itself will suffer from that. Our responses, sanctions and other reactions of the free world to Russia’s aggressive actions will not be delayed.

The dismantlement of debris in Kyiv, where Russian missiles hit yesterday during the visit of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, continues. Unfortunately, such a deliberate and brutal humiliation of the United Nations by Russia was left without a powerful response.

Today it became known that a journalist, an employee of Radio Liberty Vera Hyrych was killed by a Russian missile hitting a residential building in Kyiv. She became the 23rd media representative whose life was cut short as a result of the Russian invasion since February 24. My condolences to all relatives and friends. Eternal memory to all the victims of this war!

Today in the White Hall of Heroes of Ukraine in the Mariyinsky Palace, I presented awards to our defenders and members of the families of fallen warriors. The Order of the Golden Star was awarded to the Heroes of Ukraine: Lieutenant Colonel Serhiy Burkovsky, Captain Vitaliy Hural, Senior Lieutenant Dmytro Dozirchy, Lieutenant Colonel Oleksandr Zuhravy, Colonel Dmytro Kashchenko, Major Oleksandr Kukurba, Captain Oleh Pasichnyk, Lieutenant Colonel Vyacheslav Tsyhankov, Colonel of the Medical Service Oleksandr Sliesarenko, Lieutenant Colonel Leonid Khoda, Colonel Denys Chayuk and Lieutenant General Serhiy Nayev.

Also, three servicemen were posthumously awarded the Order of the Golden Star. I had the honor to hand them over to the relatives of our heroes – Sergeant Volodymyr Balyuk, Master Sergeant Oleksandr Tsyupak, Major Pavlo Sbytov.

It is thanks to our heroes, thanks to all those who stood up for our state, that we can live, can be with our families in our homes.

Glory to all our heroes!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Ukrainians!

All our defenders!

Today we have significant news for our state, for our defense.

First, the United States has prepared a new support package for Ukraine worth $ 33 billion. In particular, more than 20 billion can be allocated for defense. More than $ 8 billion is planned for economic support. Another $ 3 billion will be allocated for humanitarian aid.

This is a very important step by the United States. And I am grateful to the American people and personally to President Biden for it. I hope that the Congress will quickly support this request for help to our state. President Biden rightly said today that this step is not cheap. But the negative consequences of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and against democracy are so large-scale for the whole world that, in comparison with them, this support from the United States is necessary. Together, we can certainly stop Russian aggression and reliably defend freedom in Europe.

We are also working to direct the blocked assets of Russian individuals subject to sanctions and the Russian state to compensate Ukraine for this war and to restore normal life.

The investigation into the crimes committed by the Russian military against our people is underway. Ukraine’s position is absolutely clear – every Russian criminal must be and will be brought to justice. Whoever they are and wherever they hide, we will find them all and make them bear responsibility.

The first ten Russian servicemen from the 64th motorized rifle brigade of the Russian Ground Forces who committed crimes against our people in Bucha, Kyiv region, received the status of suspects. Their surnames are known. It is established what they did. We know all the details about them and their actions. And we will find everyone. Just as we will find all the other Russian thugs who killed and tortured Ukrainians. Who tormented our people. Who destroyed houses and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. None of these bastards will avoid responsibility.

However, some of them may not survive until trial and fair punishment. But for one reason only. This Russian brigade was relocated to the Kharkiv region. There they will get retribution from our military.

Prime Minister of Bulgaria Kiril Petkov paid a visit to Kyiv today. We had very substantive and very warm negotiations with him. Bulgaria is one of those countries that reacted to Russia’s aggression in a principled manner and quickly. I am grateful to both the Bulgarian government and the Bulgarian people for not delaying the support for our state.

Defense, energy and transport issues were discussed with Mr. Petkov. Sanctions pressure on Russia, which is necessary for peace. We also discussed our cooperation at the EU level. A very important agreement is on the repair of our military equipment at the Bulgarian production facilities.

Another issue we agreed on is the supply of Ukrainian electricity to Bulgaria and the use of the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline together with the Bulgarian side. I am grateful to Bulgaria for the opportunity to use the port of Varna to export our agricultural capacity.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres was also in Ukraine today. It is very important that Mr. Secretary-General visited Borodyanka, Kyiv region. And saw with his own eyes what the Russian occupiers had done there. Hundreds of Ukrainian cities and hundreds of communities have experienced the same thing as Borodyanka and Bucha. The Russian army in Ukraine consciously and without any doubt trampled down everything on which the global order was based after World War II.

The UN Charter, international conventions, declarations, the rights of people and states… Everything that should guarantee freedom and security in the world is simply destroyed by Russia’s aggressive actions. So the key issue in the talks with the UN Secretary-General was how to stop Russian aggression. And this is not just a question of Ukraine, our fate. This is a question of the fate of the United Nations, the fate of international law, the fate of many nations – and not just Russia’s neighbors who may become the next victims of Moscow’s aggressive ambitions.

Of course, during the negotiations we paid a lot of attention to saving our people from Mariupol. I believe that with the help of the UN it is possible to organize an evacuation mission. Ukraine is ready for these steps. But it is also necessary for the Russian side to consider this issue without cynicism and actually do what it says.

Moscow claimed they had allegedly ceased fire in Mariupol. But the bombing of the defenders of the city continues. This is a war crime committed by the Russian military literally in front of the whole world. Russia’s shelling of Mariupol did not stop even when the UN Secretary-General was holding negotiations in Moscow.

And today, immediately after the end of our talks in Kyiv, Russian missiles flew into the city. Five missiles.

And this says a lot about Russia’s true attitude to global institutions. About the efforts of the Russian leadership to humiliate the UN and everything that the Organization represents. Therefore, it requires a strong response.

Russian missile strikes at Ukraine – Kyiv, Fastiv, Odesa, and other cities – once again prove that we cannot let our guard down. We cannot think that the war is over. We still have to fight. We still have to drive the occupiers out.

Today, the Russian army continued its offensive attempts in the east of our country, in Donbas. Tries to advance in the southern regions.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine repel the invaders. And I am grateful to each of our defenders who are holding positions.

We are doing everything to help our army, to provide the military with all the necessary weapons.

Every time I contact my partners, I emphasize that weapons for Ukraine right now, the very types we ask for and just when we need them, are salvation not only for our people. This is salvation for all of you – for all of Europe.

I am grateful to those partners who understand this. And who help convince others.

Before delivering the evening address, I signed a decree awarding our heroes. 214 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were awarded state awards. 14 of them posthumously.

Eternal memory to all who gave life for Ukraine!

Eternal glory to all who stood up for the state!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Unbreakable people of the bravest country!

The 63rd day of our defense is coming to an end. A day during which a lot has been done.

First, an important decision of the European Union is being prepared. The European Commission has agreed to remove all duties and quotas on Ukrainian exports for a year, as well as to suspend anti-dumping tariffs.

I discussed the details of this proposal with President Ursula von der Leyen today. I am grateful to her personally and to all our European friends for this step.

Right now, this will allow us to maintain the economic activity in Ukraine, our national production as much as possible. But this decision needs to be considered not only in the Ukrainian context. Sufficient export of our products to European and global markets will be a significant anti-crisis tool.

Russia is trying to provoke a global price crisis. To start chaos in all basic markets and especially in the food market. Ukrainian exports will help stabilize markets. So it is beneficial not only for us, but also for all Europeans. For residents of all countries that can be affected by Russia’s destructive ambitions.

New partners’ decisions to liberalize our exports are expected soon.

We are also agreeing with the European Union on how to increase the potential of transport corridors on our western border.

I spoke today with the President of Indonesia. In particular, on food security. I stressed that the threat of famine for millions of people in different countries will remain until Russia begins to seek peace with Ukraine. It is because of this war waged by Russia that dozens of states have found themselves in a situation where they cannot be sure of stability for their people.

I am grateful to Indonesia for supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our state, for an honest and responsible position during the UN voting.

I am also grateful for the invitation to take part in this year’s G20 summit.

A conversation took place with the Prime Minister of Italy. I thanked Mr. Draghi for the involvement in the investigation of crimes committed by the Russian military. I informed him about the situation in the combat zones. We appreciate Italy’s support for truly effective sanctions that can end the war.

This week, Russia’s leadership launched a new series of energy blackmail of Europeans. The decision to cut off gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria is another argument in favor of the fact that no one in Europe can hope to maintain any normal economic cooperation with Russia.

Russia considers not only gas, but any trade as a weapon. It is just waiting for the moment when one or another trade area can be used. To blackmail Europeans politically. Or to strengthen Russia’s military machine, which sees a united Europe as a target.

Hence, the sooner everyone in Europe admits that it is inadmissible to depend on Russia in trade, the sooner it will be possible to guarantee stability in European markets.

A meeting of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities took place today. The first meeting during the full-scale war. A set of issues was discussed. In particular, the reconstruction of our country. We are already working on all the details so that the post-war reconstruction project can be implemented quickly and most effectively.

I stressed that we expect specific requests and proposals from local authorities. So that we can talk specifically with our partners, with the European Union, with international donors. Communities must provide all information about destroyed housing, all damaged objects.

We discussed how and in what order to build, how to organize the purchase of ready housing. Our goal is not just to rebuild everything that was destroyed by the occupiers. But also to solve old problems with housing queues and so on. So that all servicemen, rescuers, policemen, all who work for the state are provided with their own housing.

Today in Congress we heard the reports on the earliest possible provision of housing for IDPs. On the interaction between central and local authorities in the communities that are temporarily occupied.

The issues of territorial defense development and coordination between local authorities and law enforcement agencies were discussed.

Today I want to especially support Ukrainians in the south of our country. In Kherson, in all communities of the region, in the temporarily occupied districts of the Zaporizhzhia region. I am grateful to everyone who does not give up. Who protests. Who ignores the occupiers and shows those outcasts who have become collaborators that they have no future. The stronger our resistance now, the more rejection the occupiers will see, the sooner normal life will return to our land.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to beat the invaders throughout the territory where the fighting continues. I am grateful to each of our defenders who do everything for Russia to lose.

Mariupol, Marinka, Popasna, Severodonetsk, Izyum, Rubizhne, Dniprorudne, Melitopol and all other cities and communities that are now at the epicenter of the struggle for Ukraine. That is where the fighting for the future of our people is taking place. Thank you to everyone who brings our victory closer!

I have just signed decrees on awarding our heroes. 173 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were awarded state awards of Ukraine.

The title of Hero of Ukraine was awarded to Lieutenant General Serhiy Ivanovych Nayev, Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Eternal glory to everyone who stood up for our state!

Eternal memory to all who gave life for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Ukrainians!

All our defenders!

Every year on April 26, the world remembers the Chornobyl disaster. The worst nuclear disaster in human history.

But this year it is not enough to just remember Chornobyl. And it is not enough to say traditional words of gratitude to the heroes-liquidators. It is not enough to remind why and how the catastrophe became possible. It is not enough to repeat the conclusions that every intelligent person and every adequate society must draw.

Because this year, Russia has created new threats that could surpass even the worst accident.

I remember the night of March 4, when it became known about the fire at the Zaporizhzhia NPP.

When Russian tanks fired at the station. They knew exactly which object they were firing at. But they had an order to seize the object at any cost.

They did not care about anything. They did not care that the Zaporizhzhia station is the largest in Europe. They didn’t think about how many power units there are and how the shelling could end.

That night I spoke with world leaders. With everyone who could influence the events and stop Russia. I spoke with President Biden, with Chancellor Scholz, with President of the European Council Charles Michel, with President of Poland Andrzej Duda… I spoke with IAEA Director General Mr. Grossi.

If the world had not woken up that night, we would not mention Chornobyl today, because everyone would think about what Russia has done at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

It is even surprising how quickly and completely Russia, the whole country, can forget about the worst catastrophe that its people have experienced as well.

Not only Ukrainians were involved in the liquidation of the consequences of the Chornobyl accident in 1986. But also Belarusians, Russians and others.

That catastrophe should have been told about in Russian schools as well. They should have reminded about it in Russia every year on April 26, as is done throughout the civilized world.

Instead, today they launched three missiles against Ukraine so that they flew directly over the blocks of our nuclear power plants. Over three nuclear power plants at once. Over Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi and South-Ukrainian NPPs. What is it? Are they threatening? Are they targeting? There are no words…

It turns out they do not realize what Chornobyl is. At all.

Russian troops that were trying to attack Kyiv through the Chornobyl zone used the restricted area as a military base.

They set up positions on land where it is forbidden to even stand. They drove armored vehicles through areas where radiation-contaminated materials are buried and where the number of radioactive particles is simply horrendous. They destroyed the dosimetric control points. The Chornobyl radiation monitoring system was broken and looted. They looted a nuclear analytical laboratory…

They even stole contaminated items, which were confiscated from violators of the rules of the Exclusion Zone!

Only thanks to the professionalism and conscientiousness of our specialists working at the Chornobyl station and other facilities of the Chornobyl zone, we managed to save Ukraine, save Europe from a new catastrophe.

Only thanks to the professional team of the Zaporizhzhia NPP and our entire nuclear industry is it possible to ensure trouble-free operation of stations during the war.

Mr. Grossi, Director General of the IAEA, paid a visit to Kyiv today. We discussed all the dangers created by Russia and ways to possibly influence the situation to protect Europe and the world from completely irresponsible actions of the Russian Federation.

Today, I also awarded our heroes – shift workers at the Chornobyl station who did not leave the facility. Who maintained the work of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant despite the threat to their lives and despite the occupiers’ lack of understanding of even the basics of radiation safety.

I believe that after all that the Russian military has done in the Chornobyl zone and at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, no one in the world can feel safe knowing how many nuclear facilities, nuclear weapons and related technologies the Russian state has.

If Russia has forgotten what Chornobyl is, it means that global control over Russia’s nuclear facilities and nuclear technology is needed.

I spoke today with the Prime Minister of Japan. In particular, about the dangers created by Russia. About the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine. I thanked Japan for a strong package of sanctions, for its support and for the leadership needed to force Russia to peace and recognition of the foundations of international law. We also discussed the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine and the possible role of Japan in future security agreements.

The Prime Minister of Romania paid a visit to Kyiv. I thanked him for the defensive and political support.

We discussed not only bilateral cooperation between our states and joint work to protect freedom in Europe, but also cooperation at the EU level. With Romania, we share a common vision of both prospects and threats to European unity, in particular in the Black Sea region.

We agreed to work together even harder to ensure security in our region.

An important meeting at the level of defense ministers of Ukraine’s partner countries took place in Germany today. The key issue was to strengthen the protection of the whole of Europe from Russia’s aggressive ambitions.

There are almost no people left in the free world who do not understand that Russia’s war against Ukraine is just the beginning.

The ultimate goal of Russia’s leadership is not just to seize the territory of Ukraine, but to dismember the entire center and east of Europe and deal a global blow to democracy.

Therefore, the free world has the right to self-defense. And that is why it will help Ukraine even more.

I am grateful to the United Kingdom and personally to Prime Minister Boris Johnson for his prompt and positive response to our request for trade liberalization. Right now it is especially important for the support of our state.

Britain has announced the abolition of all duties and quotas on imports of Ukrainian goods. This will allow us to save thousands of jobs during the war and ensure a significant intensification of economic relations with Britain.

We expect similar decision from other partners.

I want to emphasize that this is important not only for our country, not only for each of the partner countries. This adds stability to global markets, especially the food market, which is one step away from a large-scale price crisis due to Russia’s war against Ukraine.

There is only one way to avoid the crisis: to strengthen cooperation and put pressure on Russia for it to give up this war.

Today, Russian troops continued missile strikes at our land, particularly in the Odesa region. They continued to attack our troops near Kharkiv, in Donbas. They are trying to portray an alleged “new government” in Kherson and part of the Zaporizhzhia region. They change flags, demonstrate some suicides in the role of collaborators.

And what does this give Russia? Only new losses.

There will be a new sanctions package from the European Union. There will be even more restrictions on trade. Inevitably, the vast majority of the world’s countries will abandon Russian oil and other Russian energy sources. No adequate country will want to invite Rosatom to cooperate. Most Russians will have to pay with poverty for the aggressive policy of their country’s leadership.

And I emphasize: we will identify, find and prosecute everyone – war criminals and collaborators. The longer and more brutal this war, the more resources will be spent not only by us, but also by the world to establish justice and punish all those responsible.

The time will come when Russia will have to recognize that peace is needed.

I paid a visit to Ilya Matvienko and Kira Obedinska in Okhmatdyt Hospital today. Kira is 12 years old, and Ilya turned 10 today. They lived in Mariupol until the Russian army came. Ilya’s mother was killed during the bombing of the city. Kira’s father, a well-known athlete and former captain of Ukraine’s water polo team, Yevhen Obedinsky, was killed by a sniper.

The occupiers took the children out of the city, actually abducted them, and it took a lot of effort to get them back. I am grateful to everyone who joined this cause. I am especially grateful to Iryna Vereshchuk and Andriy Yermak, who coordinated this task, to our entire team.

Now Ilya is with his grandmother, Kira is with her grandfather. Their only relatives left. We will help them with everything they need. We will help raise children.

And we will definitely do everything to return all our Ukrainian children to Ukraine. Let no one in Russia hope that Ukraine will forget or forgive the abduction of our children, the deportation of our citizens. And the destruction of Mariupol.

I also thanked Okhmatdyt’s doctors for their work. For saving lives and trying to restore children’s peace of mind under all circumstances. Thank you very much, dear doctors.

Before delivering the evening address, I traditionally signed a decree awarding our heroes. 243 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were awarded state awards.

Eternal gratitude to all our defenders!

Eternal memory to everyone who gave life for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Unbreakable people of the bravest country in the world!

Today the third month of our war for our independence began. Russian-Ukrainian war. The third month!

On February 24, most in the world did not even believe that we would withstand more than a week. Someone said – three days. A month ago, we still had to convince different countries that betting on Ukraine means winning. And now… Now everyone knows it.

Thanks to the courage, wisdom of our defenders, thanks to the courage of all Ukrainian men, all Ukrainian women our state is a real symbol of struggle for freedom. Everyone in the world – and even those who do not openly support us – agree that it is in Ukraine that the fate of Europe, the fate of global security, the fate of the democratic system is being decided. And above all, it is being decided what life in the centre and east of our continent will be like and whether there will be life at all.

Bucha, Borodyanka, Hostomel, Okhtyrka, Chernihiv and Sumy, Izyum, Kharkiv, Volnovakha, Zolote, Severodonetsk, Rubizhne, Popasna and Mariupol… Missiles aimed at Odesa and Kramatorsk, Zhytomyr, Lviv, Kremenchuk and Kryvyi Rih… In all Ukraine’s cities and communities, Russia has shown what it really wants and can bring to Europe. What it can bring to Chișinău, Tbilisi, Helsinki, Vilnius, Warsaw, Prague, all the cities and countries that Russian state propagandists have long openly identified as alleged enemies for Moscow.

Russia has launched an offensive against Ukraine in many directions. Missile strikes, air raids, artillery, tanks – everything! Russian troops did not spare anything, any means to kill us, kill Ukrainians and destroy our land.

In two months, they used more than 1100 missiles against us. Countless bombs and artillery. They tortured, robbed, executed. They mined our land. Peaceful cities and villages were turned into hell. Some Ukrainian cities and communities were destroyed to the ground. But they did not achieve anything. And they will not achieve.

Kherson, Kakhovka, Melitopol, Dniprorudne, Enerhodar and our other cities where the Russian occupiers temporarily entered didn’t obey them. People showed with their protest their attitude towards the occupiers, showed that Ukraine will definitely win.

Russia wants to play a sham “referendum” somewhere on our land? Even if they try, it will be as shameful as everything else that was “created” in Moscow for the occupation of Ukraine.

Kharkiv region, Donetsk, Luhansk – the Russian military didn’t see even the slightest support they had hoped for anywhere. But they saw that it is a completely different state. They saw that there are completely different people here. People who are confident. Who believe in their state. Who know how to respect others because they respect themselves. Who do not want to capture someone else’s land, but will not give anything of their own. Who will protect every city, every street, every field.

In two months of hostilities 9 thousand 781 defenders of Ukraine were awarded state awards. The title of Hero of Ukraine was awarded to 142 of our defenders.

Ukrainian men and women have shown a truly massive readiness to defend Ukraine. At any age, any property status, with any education – Ukrainian men and women equally stood up for the state.

This war has truly become a people’s war for Ukraine. And it showed that throughout our territory – from east to west, from north to south – the Ukrainian idea is equally strong, equally national.

As of this time, 931 settlements have already been de-occupied. Many cities and communities are still under the temporary control of the Russian army. But I have no doubt that it is only a matter of time before we liberate our land.

Russia can spend enormous resources to support the war. To oppose even the whole free world. It can take away from its people everything that could develop Russia itself, and direct this potential to destroy the lives of neighbours.

But the lessons of history are well known. If you are going to build a millennial Reich, you lose. If you are going to destroy the neighbours, you lose. If you want to restore the old empire, you lose. And if you go against the Ukrainians, you lose.

A global anti-war coalition was formed in two months. Sanctions have already been imposed on Russia, which have taken away its future. Ukraine receives assistance from dozens of countries. This is support in the form of weapons, finances, necessary goods, political support directly.

We are accelerating our movement to the European Union as much as possible. We have already passed a historic moment, an important stage – with the receipt and answering a special questionnaire, which was provided to each country before they acquired the status of a candidate for EU membership.

Even now, when the war is still going on, we are creating the necessary base for the reconstruction of Ukraine. These are international agreements of various levels, this is the creation of special funds for the reconstruction of our state.

Even now, when Russia is still trying to seize our territory, we are demonstrating that we will give free Ukraine more opportunities for development than Russia can give not only to the occupied part of our territory, but also to its own territory, its own state.

It is obvious that every day – and especially today, when the third month of our resistance has begun – everyone in Ukraine is concerned about peace. About when all this will be over. About when and what can be a victory for Ukraine.

There is and at the same time there is no simple answer to this question. When we gain a victory, everyone will feel it. When peace comes, everyone will see it. But for this to happen – and happen faster – we need to think not about when and what it will be. We must think every day about how to make the stay of the occupiers on our land even more unbearable.

Ukraine is ready for peace. It was ready even when the war was going on in Donbas. It is ready even now, when the Russian invasion has become full-scale.

But for Russia to seek peace, every Ukrainian must still fight. They must defend freedom. Because every day of struggle now adds years of peaceful life after this war. After our victory.

As always, before delivering the address, I signed decrees awarding our heroes. 269 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and 9 servicemen of the Main Intelligence Directorate were awarded state awards.

Eternal glory to all who stood up for the state!

Eternal gratitude to all who help us endure!

Eternal memory to everyone who gave life for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Ukrainians!

All our defenders!

Yesterday, Christians of the Eastern rite celebrated Easter. The traditional greeting “Christ is risen!” sounded also in Russia. But did these words mean the same thing as in the whole Orthodox world?

Russia “congratulated” Ukraine on Easter with an air threat almost all over our country, a missile strike at the Poltava region, and a missile strike at Kremenchuk. Why was this attack needed at Easter? There is no military threat from which this could protect Russia. This is just a deliberate destruction of life in Ukraine. Destruction that did not stop even on the greatest Orthodox holiday.

So are these people who continued to shell our cities and communities yesterday Christians? Who fired at Chuhuiv of the Kharkiv region. Who killed two more children in the Donetsk region on Easter – girls aged five and fourteen.

Killing children, destroying lives, covering up with cynical and total lies what has been done against peaceful cities – all Russia is doing on the territory of Ukraine – is definitely not Christianity. This is what Christ opposed.

People who once again refused to open humanitarian corridors from Mariupol are not Christians. People who filmed propaganda reports in the occupied regions of Ukraine about the distribution of alleged humanitarian Easter kits are not Christians. Moreover, everyone knows, including in Russia, that before February 24, all Ukrainians in all parts of Ukraine had the opportunity to celebrate Easter freely in any church and without any “humanitarian” kits.

People who are trying to build a brutal occupation regime in the seized districts of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, holding people hostage, torturing people are not Christians. Those who did not allow people to leave the occupied territory even on Easter, threatening them with death.

Russia was offered an Easter ceasefire. But the Orthodox world has seen that for the Russian invaders Easter means nothing. For them, it is just a red date in the calendar, which requires special words, special behaviour, but not what is called faith, and not what is called Christian good.

The Russian army has made this Easter red not only formally in the calendar, but also red with blood. Christians would not do that if they had the opportunity to make peace.

So holding a candle in the temple does not mean being a Christian. Eating or even celebrating Easter every year is not enough to be human, to be a Christian.

And I am grateful to all our police officers, to all employees of the Security Service of Ukraine, to all those who were responsible for security on Easter, for not allowing any provocations yesterday. All that Russian propagandists announced recently.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine are deterring attacks by Russian troops in key areas. In the Kharkiv region – in the Izyum direction, in Donbas – especially near Popasna, in Mariupol where the resistance of the city’s defenders continues, in the southern areas, where the occupiers are trying to go on the offensive.

Air alarms this morning were heard again almost all over our country. Vinnytsia, Rivne, Lviv, Odesa regions – missile threat. Russia does not stop trying to break our resistance to… Achieve what?

In the occupied areas, either a humanitarian catastrophe has already occurred or there is very little time left before it occurs. There is a lack of basic products, there is a lack of medicines. People do not have the means to live normally, there is no basic security. They don’t have everything they had before February 24. What Donetsk and Luhansk had before 2014. Everything that we will definitely return after the liberation of our land.

We continue to do everything to drive the occupiers out and restore peace to all our people. A key element of this process is the strength of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Availability of sufficient quantity and quality of weapons, sufficient quantity and quality of ammunition.

Assistance to Ukraine was the number one issue in talks with representatives of the United States of America who arrived in Kyiv yesterday – Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Our talks with them were long enough – more than three hours – and meaningful. Encouraging and, which is important, effective.

I am grateful to the people of the United States and personally to President Biden for the strong and sincere support we receive. These are real things that strengthen not only our state, but democracy as a whole.

We share the same understanding with the United States: when democracy wins in one country, it wins all over the world. When freedom is defended in one country, it is defended all over the world.

We agreed with the American side on further steps to strengthen the Armed Forces of Ukraine and meet all the priority needs of our army. This includes preparations for a major ministerial meeting in Germany on Tuesday, which will bring together forty defense ministers from partner countries. The key issue is the protection of Ukraine, the protection of freedom in Eastern Europe.

Ways to strengthen sanctions were discussed. The fact that Russia is not looking for peace and is demonstratively killing even on Easter shows that greater sanctions pressure is needed. It is necessary to block all opportunities for Russia to circumvent sanctions. So we handed over to our partners a special Plan to strengthen sanctions on the Russian Federation developed by an international expert group led by Andriy Yermak and Michael McFaul.

A separate point of the negotiations was financial support for Ukraine. When tyranny has enormous financial resources from oil and gas exports, the issue of financial support for freedom becomes vital. I heard a full understanding of this position from American friends. Not only in the context of helping Ukraine now, during the war, but also for the post-war reconstruction.

Discussions on security guarantees for Ukraine continued. I am convinced that the United States can be a leader among the future countries – guarantors of Ukraine’s security. The main goal for all of us is to make Europe and the world safer after the war, to ensure that the security architecture works in the event of any new threats.

I was pleased to hear from our friends that the United States Embassy will be back in Kyiv in the near future. The appointment of a new US Ambassador to Ukraine will also take place. This is a very useful gesture of support for our state.

I had an important conversation with Turkish President Erdoğan. On the situation in Mariupol and the need to evacuate civilians and the wounded, the need for immediate exchange of the blocked Ukrainian military.

We discussed the negotiation process with Russia and the issues of defense. The threats to the world food market provoked by Russia, which has blocked our Black Sea ports, were also discussed in detail.

Rising food prices have already reached critical levels in many countries. But this is just the beginning. If Russia does not seek peace, the issue of food security in many countries will become a matter of physical survival for millions of people and, consequently, stability of state systems.

More and more political leaders around the world are aware of this threat. So we expect more pressure on Russia.

I congratulated President of France Macron on winning the elections. We spoke with Mr. President at night. Ukraine will always appreciate his support, and will always be grateful for the help of France. I am convinced that together with France, together with President Macron, we will be able to do much more to protect our common freedom, our united Europe.

Late last night, after all foreign policy issues, I signed important decrees to award our heroes. 188 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and five employees of the Security Service of Ukraine were awarded state awards of Ukraine.

The title of Hero of Ukraine was awarded to Colonel Chayuk Denys Valentynovych, deputy commander of the 128th separate mountain assault brigade, for personal courage and effectiveness in battles with the occupiers, for destroying enemy equipment and manpower.

Glory to all our heroes!

Eternal memory to everyone who gave life for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

The Easter Message made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 24 April 2022.

Great people of great Ukraine!

Today is a great holiday. And I’m in a great place. The Great St. Sophia Cathedral. In the cathedral, which was founded a thousand years ago, on the field of the sacred battle where the army of Kyivan Rus’-Ukraine defeated the Pechenegs. In the cathedral, which was not destroyed by the Horde invasion or the Nazi occupation, which withstood in spite of everything!

Today we all believe in a new victory for Ukraine. And we are all convinced that we will not be destroyed by any horde or evil.

We are enduring dark times. And on this bright day, most of us are not in bright clothes. But we are fighting for a bright idea. On the bright side. And the truth, people, the Lord and the holy heavenly light are on our side. The power of the patron saint of the human race – Oranta. She is above me. She is above us all.

The unshakable pillar of the Church of Christ, the unbreakable wall of the main stronghold – Kyiv, the Unbreakable Wall of the State. As long as there is Oranta, there is Sophia, and Kyiv stands with her, and the whole of Ukraine stands with them!

Above the image of Oranta are the words from the Psalms: “God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it.” On this Great Day, we all believe that our dawn is coming soon.

Oranta in Latin means “one who prays”. We have all been praying for the last two months. And in the Resurrection of Christ, which symbolizes the great victory of life over death, each of us asks the Lord for one thing. And speaks the same words to heaven. The words of a great and united prayer.

Great and Only God! Save our Ukraine!

Protect those who protect us! Heaven, protect those who defend the native land. Strengthen the will of those who protect us from captivity. Save those who save Ukraine. These are our military, national guards, border guards, our territorial defense, intelligence. These and all our other warriors of light.

Help those who help them. These are volunteers and all people who care. From Ukraine and around the world. Give strength to all who give all their strength. May everyone who seeks always find. May everyone who is on the road always overcome it. And may everyone who does everything possible to save Ukraine never lose faith that everything is possible.

Save the lives of those who save the lives of others. These are all our medics. Our firefighters, rescuers, sappers. May the victory of life be a symbol not only of this holiday. May life win the battle against death every day.

Take care of our mothers. Give endurance to those who are waiting for a son or daughter from the war. Give fortitude to those who, unfortunately, have lost their children on the frontline. Help those who have lost their children in peaceful cities and villages where Russia has brought death to overcome unbearable pain.

And give good health to all our mothers and all our grandmothers for many more years. To see their loved ones. To see peace and victory. To see justice. And the happy old age that the invaders are trying to steal from them. And instead of knitting scarves and sweaters for their grandchildren, today they weave camouflage nets. So give many years of peaceful life to them.

And to our fathers. And to our grandfathers. Who once told their grandchildren about the war, and today send grandchildren to the war. Our fathers and our grandfathers built this country. Today they see it being destroyed. Let them see how our land will be liberated and rebuilt. And give us strength to do it.

Take care of all our children. Give every boy and every girl a happy youth, maturity and old age, which will allow at least a little to get rid of the memories of their terrible childhood during the war. Not children’s, scary games that they were forced to play. Hide and seek, but in the basement, from the bombs. Running, but from the gunshots. Travel, but because of the loss of home, fleeing the war.

Save all Ukrainians! We did not attack anyone, so give us protection. We have never destroyed other nations, so do not let anyone destroy us. We did not seize other people’s lands, so do not let anyone seize ours.

Save Ukraine! Its right and left banks – at a time when we are being viciously beaten on both right and left cheeks. At the end of winter, spring did not come to us. Severe cold was brought to our house. At dawn we were brought opaque darkness.

We believe, God, that in your judgment you will not forget them all. All those who have forgotten all your commandments.

You will not forget about Bucha, Irpin, Borodyanka, Hostomel. All those who survived brutal crimes. Give them and all our land human happiness.

You will not forget about Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Sumy, Kharkiv, Izyum, Kramatorsk and Volnovakha, Popasna. All other towns and villages that hear the terrible explosions. Let them and all of us hear the fireworks of victory.

You will not forget about Mariupol and its heroic defenders. One can destroy the walls, but can’t destroy the foundation on which the morale stands. The morale of our warriors. The morale of the whole country.

We see terrible scenes of war. Let us see a happy picture of peace.

We are going through very difficult ordeals. Let us reach a just end on this path – the beginning of a happy life and prosperity of Ukraine!

Our hearts are full of fierce fury. Our souls are full of fierce hatred for the invaders and all that they have done. Don’t let fury destroy us from within. Turn it into our accomplishments from the outside. Turn it into a force of good to defeat the forces of evil.

Save us from strife and division. Don’t let us lose unity.

Strengthen our will and our spirit. Don’t let us lose ourselves. Don’t let us lose our longing for freedom. Therefore, do not let us lose our zeal for a righteous struggle. Do not let us lose hope of victory and self-esteem, and therefore our freedom. And therefore Ukraine. And therefore faith.

Dear Ukrainians!

Last year we celebrated Easter at home because of the pandemic. This year we also celebrate the Resurrection of Christ not as we used to. Because of another virus. Because of the plague called war.

Both last year’s and the current threat are united by one thing – nothing can defeat Ukraine.

The great holiday today gives us great hope and unwavering faith that light will overcome darkness, good will overcome evil, life will overcome death, and therefore Ukraine will surely win!

And on Easter, we ask God for great grace to make our great dream come true – this is another great day – the day when great peace will come to Ukraine. And with it – eternal harmony and prosperity.

With faith and confidence in this – I congratulate all of you on Easter.

Take care of yourselves. Take care of your loved ones. Take care of Ukraine!

Christ is Risen!

He is Risen Indeed.

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

Today I will begin my evening address to you without greetings.

Today Russia launched another missile strike at Ukraine, at Odesa. As of now – 8 dead. At least 18 wounded. Ordinary peaceful people. Among those killed was a 3-month-old baby girl. How did she threaten Russia? It seems that killing children is just a new national idea of the Russian Federation.

The missiles were launched by Russian strategic aircraft. From the Caspian Sea region. We managed to shoot down two missiles. Five more missiles hit a peaceful city. Including the usual apartment house, the usual high-rise building.

We will identify all those responsible for this strike. Those responsible for Russia’s missile terror. Everyone who gives these orders. Everyone who fulfills these orders. No one will be able to hide. No matter how long it takes us, all these bastards will be responsible for every death they caused.

Russia has already fired most of its missile arsenal at Ukraine. Of course, they still have missiles. Of course, they can still continue the missile terror against our people. But what they have already done is definitely arguments sufficient for the world to eventually recognize the Russian state as a sponsor of terrorism and the Russian army as a terrorist organization. We will continue to insist on this in negotiations with our partners. There is simply no alternative to such recognition. That is why it is true.

The Russian state has become a terrorist, and it is not ashamed. And if it is not ashamed, it is deliberate. Therefore, there must be maximum responsibility.

New facts about the crimes of the occupiers against our Mariupol residents are being revealed. New graves of people killed by the occupiers are being found. We are talking about tens of thousands of dead Mariupol residents. Negotiations of the occupiers on how they conceal the traces of their crimes are recorded.

Russia continues the activities of so-called filtration camps, particularly near Mariupol. Although the honest name for them is, in fact, different – it’s concentration camps. Like those built by the Nazis in the past.

Ukrainians from these camps – the survivors – are sent further into the occupied territories and to Russia. The facts of deportation of our citizens to the Russian boondocks, to Siberia, even to Vladivostok are recorded. They also deport children hoping that they will forget where their home is and where they are from. And they are from Ukraine.

Today was Holy Saturday for Christians of the Eastern Rite. The day between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. It seems that Russia is stuck on such a day. For years. On the day when death triumphs and God is supposedly gone.

But there will be a Resurrection. Life will defeat death. The truth will defeat any lies. And evil will be punished. And Russia will have to learn these truths again, it’s only a matter of time. It is only a matter of time before all Russian murderers feel what a fair response to their crimes is. It is only a matter of time before we can bring all the deported Ukrainians home. It is only a matter of time before all our people all over Ukraine feel what a strong peace is.

I spoke today with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson. I informed him about the situation in Mariupol, in the areas of hostilities in general. I thanked him for the significant defensive and financial support for Ukraine. We coordinated further steps needed to protect our freedom.

We are also preparing for tomorrow’s important talks with American partners.

I held a big live press conference in Kyiv today. Answered many questions – different, from different journalists. Both Ukrainian and foreign. And it’s not just about openness, really. Not just about information. It’s about whose side the truth is on in the war. This is about who can speak truthfully both with his people and with the whole world. Ukrainians can. Our enemies cannot.

And finally. There will be a curfew tonight. Please follow this rule. This is important from a security point of view. But starting from 5 am you will be able to visit temples in your cities, towns and communities. Where it is possible to hold a church service. Please – only in the morning.

I am grateful to each of our defenders who ensure our security this night before Easter and every day. Who defend the state. Who fight for the freedom of Ukrainians.

Eternal glory to all our warriors!

Eternal memory to all who gave lives for Ukraine.

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Ukrainians!

Our defenders!

The 58th day of our defense is coming to an end. It ends on Good Friday, one of the most sorrowful days of the year for Christians. The day when death seems to have won. But… We hope for a resurrection. We believe in the victory of life over death. And we pray that death loses.

This year, during the full-scale war, Russia’s war against our state, these words have a special meaning for us.

Russia brought death to Ukraine. After eight years of brutal war in Donbas, Russia wanted to destroy our state completely. Literally deprive Ukrainians of the right to life. But no matter how fierce the battles are, there is no chance for death to defeat life. Everyone knows that. Every Christian knows that. This is a basic element of our culture.

Perhaps this does not exist in modern Russian culture anymore. Because in order to do everything they did to Ukrainians in our cities… you have to kill a human inside you. Because a human of any faith simply cannot do that.

But for our culture, it all matters. And it will matter. And life will surely defeat death.

I am grateful to our British friends for the important symbolic decision announced today to return the embassy to Kyiv. The United Kingdom became the twenty-first country to return a diplomatic mission to our capital. And this shows that we are not the only ones who believe in the victory of life over death.

Today, with reference to the Russian military, the news was spread that their task now is allegedly to establish control over the south of Ukraine and reach the Moldovan border. And allegedly there, in Moldova, the rights of Russian-speakers are violated.

Although, to be honest, the territory in which Russia should take care of the rights of Russian-speakers is Russia itself. Where there is no freedom of speech, no freedom of choice. Where there is simply no right to dissent. Where poverty thrives and where human life is worthless. To the extent that they come to us, go to war to steal at least something that resembles a normal life.

You know they used to talk about their biggest dream: to see Paris and die. And their behavior is now just shocking. Because their dream now is to steal the toilet and die.

Well, this only confirms what I have said many times: the Russian invasion of Ukraine was intended only as a beginning, then they want to capture other countries.

Of course, we will defend ourselves as long as necessary to break this ambition of the Russian Federation. But all nations that, like us, believe in the victory of life over death must fight with us. They have to help us, because we are the first on this path. And who is next?

If anyone who can become next wants to stay neutral today so as not to lose anything, this is the riskiest bet. Because you will lose everything.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to deter attacks by Russian invaders in the east and south of our country. The Izyum direction, Donbas, Pryazovia, Mariupol, Kherson region are the places where the fate of this war and the future of our state is being decided.

In Slovyansk, Kramatorsk, in the Donetsk region in general, in Popasna and in the Luhansk region in general, in Kharkiv, in the surrounding areas, the occupiers are trying to achieve a primitive goal – to kill as much as possible and destroy everything they see.

And I am grateful to each of our defenders who are bravely holding on, teaching the Russian army the idea that Russia’s chances in this war may be less than Ukraine’s.

As every morning, as every day, as every evening, we have paid maximum attention today to provide our military with all the necessary weapons. This is the number one task for our state.

And I am grateful to all our partners who finally heard us. Who provide us with exactly what we asked for. Because we know for sure that with these weapons we will be able to save the lives of thousands of people. And we will be able to show the occupiers that the day when they will be forced to leave Ukraine is approaching.

The return to normal life in the territories liberated from the occupiers continues.

If at the beginning of this week demining took place in 70 settlements, today 184 settlements have been demined. Of course, much remains to be done. But the pace, I think, is pretty good.

Humanitarian headquarters are already operating in more than 500 de-occupied settlements. Almost 100 settlements are added daily, to which we return medical and educational services, the work of social protection bodies, financial institutions.

We are restoring transport connections at a fairly fast pace. Plus 96 settlements today, where the transport connection was returned. Plus 183 settlements where gas stations have resumed work. Plus 90 settlements where electricity was restored. We return water supply, gas supply, mobile connection.

The return of Ukraine to cities and communities means the return of life in the full sense of these words. I believe that such a return will take place in the south of our country and in the east of Ukraine. In all areas where degradation, destruction and death have been brought under the Russian flag.

But it depends on how united we all will be in countering the Russian invasion. I emphasize once again that everyone should oppose the occupation at every opportunity. Ignore the occupiers. Do not cooperate with them. Don’t help them. Neutralize collaborators.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine are performing their tasks brilliantly. Intelligence, the National Guard, territorial defense, police, border guards – all of them work one hundred percent for the victory. But every citizen must also work for the victory – in what he does and where he is.

If you are abroad – support Ukraine. If you are engaged in ordinary economic activities, do your best for the benefit of Ukraine as much as possible. If you found yourself in a temporarily occupied territory – try to cause the occupiers as much trouble as possible. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are our foundation. But a fortress of our national unity must always stand on this foundation. Unity of all Ukrainians who fight for life and against death. Against the Russian invasion.

Traditionally, in the evening I signed a decree awarding our heroes. 48 defenders of Ukraine were awarded state awards. For courage in battles, for exemplary military service.

Eternal glory to all who defend the state!

Eternal memory to everyone who died for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, to the Parliament of Portugal on 21 April 2022.

Dear Mr. President of the Assembly!

Dear Mr. President!

Dear Mr. Prime Minister!

Dear ladies and gentlemen, deputies!

The people of Portugal!

I am grateful for the opportunity to address you at such a time, the darkest time for our state.

Yesterday, in the town of Borodyanka near our capital, two more graves of civilians killed by the Russian occupiers were found. In one of these graves there are the bodies of two 35-year-old men and a 15-year-old girl. In the second grave there are six people: four men and two women. They were killed when Russian troops controlled Borodyanka. The bodies were buried in the middle of the town, near ordinary houses. Such burials are found in all communities now, in all the cities we liberate from the Russian occupiers.

The world has already remembered the name of the Ukrainian city of Bucha, which is a 20-minute drive from Borodyanka. It remembered the horrible photos of the bodies of those killed just on the streets of Bucha. For weeks, the murdered people have laid on the road, on the sidewalks, near houses.

Russian soldiers did not even try to remove these corpses. And they did not allow, by the way, local residents who remained in the city to bury them.

I’m sure most of you have seen those photos. But in these photos it is far from everything the locals had to go through. The occupiers killed people even for fun and to loot their houses. People were thrown to die in the well. Tortured.

Executed. Grenades were thrown into the basements where people were hiding from shelling. The Russian military killed refugees on the roads. They opened fire on cars with the word “Children” written on them. Hundreds of such riddled and burned cars remained on the roads…

In the Kyiv region alone – and this is as of today, because not all burials have been found yet – the occupiers killed 1,126 Ukrainians. 40 of them are children.

In the Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and other regions of Ukraine, where Russian troops entered, they caused the same hell as in Borodyanka or Bucha.

Just one example. In the village of Yahidne in the Chernihiv region, the occupiers drove all the villagers into the basement of the school and kept them there for weeks. This is a small village school, a small basement in which about 10 people died of suffocation alone. The youngest child in the basement was 3 months old. Imagine a three month old baby! And the oldest person was 93 years old. And in total there were about 400 people in the basement!

More than three weeks. Day and night they were forbidden to go out of the basement even to the toilet. And when people asked for clothes for children, the occupiers demanded that they sing the Russian national anthem.

That’s how the Russian military had fun. This is the impunity they felt. This is what is happening in Ukraine now. In 2022.

We are fighting against Russian troops not just for our state. Not just for independence. But literally for the survival of our people. So that Ukrainians are not executed. So that Ukrainians are not tortured. So that Ukrainians are not raped. And so that Ukrainians are not deported to Russia.

The Russian occupiers have already deported at least 500,000 our citizens from the territory they have occupied. It’s like your two cities of Porto. Just imagine that. There were people – and now they are gone. 500 thousand people! This is deportation. This is what the worst totalitarian regimes of the past did.

The deported Ukrainians are deprived of means of communication, everything is taken away from them, even documents. They are distributed to the remote regions of Russia. The occupiers set up special filtration camps to distribute people. Some of those who get there are simply killed. Girls are raped.

Imagine what it’s like when a girl escapes from such a Russian filtration camp, and when asked how she did it, she says Russian soldiers simply didn’t like her. Because if they had liked her, she would have been raped and then killed, like many others.

During the 57 days of the full-scale war, we liberated about a thousand settlements of Ukraine, which were captured by Russia, by the invaders. However, the number of occupied cities and communities is much bigger.

Russian troops do not stop shelling and bombing our cities. They are destroying residential areas, any civilian infrastructure that allows cities to maintain normal life. Food warehouses, schools, universities, hospitals, even churches are being blown up.

More than 10 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes due to hostilities. Imagine this number. It’s as if the whole of Portugal was forced to flee!

I do not want to call these 10 million Ukrainians refugees. We use the term “displaced persons” to refer to them, these people. We hope that they will all be able to return home when it is safe. But when will it be? And what will be left of their house?

Today, the Russian Defense Minister reported to the Russian leader on the hostilities against our city of Mariupol. You have all heard about Mariupol. Before the war, it was a city comparable in size to Lisbon. It was a half-million seaside city. Now it is completely destroyed. There is not a single undamaged building in Mariupol. Literally scorched city.

For more than a month, the Russian troops have kept Mariupol under siege. Even humanitarian goods were not allowed. Hundreds of thousands of civilians were there without food, without water, without medicine. Under constant shelling, under constant bombing. Russian troops used aircraft to destroy even shelters and they knew for sure that there was no one there but civilians.

Some Mariupol residents managed to escape, and for most of them nothing and no one was left at all. There aren’t even photos of their pre-war life – everything was burned.

Tens of thousands of Ukrainians died in the city during Russia’s hostilities against Mariupol. We do not even know the exact number of the dead. And we may not find it out. Because Russian troops brought to the city so-called mobile crematoria – special machines for the destruction of human bodies. The occupiers drew conclusions from how the world reacted to the massacre in Bucha. And now the Russians are trying to hide the traces of war crimes.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Portuguese people!

When we turn to the nations of the free world for help, we say simple and clear things. We need weapons to protect ourselves from the brutal Russian invasion, which brought to our people as much evil as the Nazi invasion did 80 years ago.

Leopard tanks, armored personnel carriers, Harpoon anti-ship missiles – you have them and you can help protect the freedom and civilization of Europe with them. Therefore, I appeal to your state to provide us with this assistance.

We need increased pressure of sanctions on Russia, because only sanctions can force Russia to seek peace and deprive the Russian military machine of resources.

We need the principled stance of European companies, so that all of them leave the Russian market, because their taxes, their excise taxes, which they pay to the Russian budget, support this evil.

Why did Russia start the war? The capture of Ukraine is its first step in gaining control of Eastern Europe to destroy democracy in our region.

Ukraine has been and remains the mainstay of democratic processes in our region. The two revolutions of 2004 and 2014, which stopped the dictatorship in Ukraine, in fact defended democracy not only for our nation, but also for all the nations of our region who want to freely choose the future, without any coercion – internal and external.

And your people who will soon celebrate the anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, which freed you from the dictatorship, clearly understand our feelings. Exactly understands the feelings of all other nations of our region who seek freedom.

What does Russia bring to Ukraine? Death and dictatorship. And after Ukraine it will try to bring all this to Moldova, Poland, Georgia, the Baltic states, Kazakhstan and all other countries it can reach. Russia can be stopped. Mass killings, deportation and dictatorship can be stopped. Now, in Ukraine.

I am grateful to your government and to all the Portuguese people for the assistance to Ukraine you have already provided.

For supporting sanctions against Russia. And it is important now, when the European Union is preparing the sixth package of sanctions, that you show your leadership and defend the need for an oil embargo against Russia at the European level. It is also important that you, along with other EU countries, insist on a complete restriction of the Russian banking system.

We need to close all EU ports, all Portuguese ports for Russian ships. In particular, for those that they are trying to hide under other countries’ flags.

I am grateful to you for supporting our people, Ukrainian displaced persons. The Ukrainian and Portuguese people know each other well. They understand each other well. And it is important that you use your opportunities, both in Europe and in other macro-regions of the world, to protect the freedom and right to life of our people.

You can tell the truth about this Russian invasion, about this war against the Ukrainian people, both in South America and in Africa. I ask you to fight Russian propaganda and Russian corrupt influence in the countries that are close to you.

And I believe that the people of Portugal, and with them the Portuguese politicians, will support our state in its fundamental desire to be with you in the European Union. The free must support the free. The decent must support the decent. The conscientious must support the conscientious.

And I believe that you will not betray us or yourself. Because Ukraine is already on its way to the European Union under an accelerated procedure. We hope that in the near future we will be able to obtain the status of a candidate for membership in the European Union.

And when the decision is considered, I ask you to support full membership for Ukraine. Because you on the western edge of Europe and we on the eastern edge of Europe have the same values, the same view of what life should be like on our continent.

Freedom, human rights, the rule of law, equality for every man, for every woman and the opportunity to live freely and without any dictatorship, so that everyone always has the time for happiness and for saudade.

Thank you, Portugal!

Glory to Ukraine!