Tag: Volodymyr Zelenskyy

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 12 April 2022.

Ukrainians!

Our defenders!

The 47th day of the Russian-Ukrainian war, this shameful invasion that is gradually wiping Russia out of international relations, is coming to an end. Invasion that makes it more and more toxic every day. Now it is only a matter of time before the Russian army with its own actions and war crimes forces everyone in the world to renounce all ties with the Russian Federation.

Security work is underway in the northern regions of our country, from where the occupiers were expelled. First of all, it is mine clearance. Russian troops left behind tens if not hundreds of thousands of dangerous objects. These are shells that did not explode, mines, tripwire mines. At least several thousand such items are disposed of daily.

The occupiers left mines everywhere. In the houses they seized. Just on the streets, in the fields. They mined people’s property, mined cars, doors. They consciously did everything to make the return to these areas after deoccupation as dangerous as possible. Due to the actions of the Russian army, our territory is currently one of the most contaminated by mines in the world. And I believe this should also be considered as a war crime of Russian troops. They deliberately did everything to kill or maim as many of our people as possible, even when they were forced to withdraw from our land. Without the appropriate orders, they would not have done it.

This afternoon I met on Bankova Street with an expert group working on the creation of a special mechanism for pre-trial investigation and judicial review of all war crimes committed by the occupiers. We are working on a legal way to bring the occupiers to justice, which will be as effective and as fast as possible. In order not to wait for decades until all international legal procedures are completed, but to accelerate the onset of justice. I expect that the options for creating such a special mechanism will be presented in the near future.

Today, the occupiers issued a new statement, which testifies to their preparation for a new stage of terror against Ukraine and our defenders. One of the mouthpieces of the occupiers stated that they could use chemical weapons against the defenders of Mariupol. We take this as seriously as possible.

I want to remind the world leaders that the possible use of chemical weapons by the Russian military has already been discussed. And already at that time it meant that it was necessary to react to the Russian aggression much tougher and faster.

The European Union has now begun discussing a sixth package of sanctions against Russia.

It is time to make this package such that even a word about weapons of mass destruction is no longer heard from the Russian side. An oil embargo against Russia is mandatory.

Any new package of sanctions against Russia that does not affect oil will be received in Moscow with a smile.

I spoke about the need to strengthen sanctions against Russia in my address to the parliament and people of the Republic of Korea.

This week I will continue this format of communication with partner countries. Tomorrow I will address the parliament and the people of the Republic of Lithuania.

By the way, Prime Minister of Lithuania Ingrida Šimonytė paid a visit to Ukraine today. I am grateful to her for the support, as well as to all the Lithuanian people.

The issue of punishing all those guilty of crimes against Ukrainians was also discussed today with Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte. The second important topic of our conversation was the strengthening of sanctions against Russia. We will continue to coordinate our steps to force the Russian Federation to seek peace.

I also discussed cooperation in the energy sphere with the Prime Minister of Norway. Expressed gratitude for the support of efforts aimed to force Russia to seek peace.

I also held talks with the Chairperson of the African Union, President of Senegal. Informed him about the current situation in Ukraine, about the global threats posed by the Russian invasion.

The key task both today and every day at this time is concrete defensive measures. A concrete increase in our ability to repel any attacks by Russian troops. I am dealing with this issue almost around the clock. I’m sure people see it, too. Just as they see that the military and technical capabilities of the enemy are still very high. Yes, Ukrainians are incomparably braver. Our Armed Forces are beating the occupiers with wisdom and well-thought-out tactics inaccessible to the Russian military.

But when it comes to the necessary weapons, we still depend on the supply, on our partners.

Unfortunately, we are not getting as much as we need to end this war sooner. To completely destroy the enemy on our land. And to fulfill those tasks that are obvious to each of our people. In particular, to unblock Mariupol.

If we got jets and enough heavy armored vehicles, the necessary artillery, we would be able to do it. But…

We still have to agree on this. We still have to persuade. We still have to squeeze out the necessary decisions. I am sure that we will get almost everything we need. But not only time is being lost. The lives of Ukrainians are being lost. Lives that can no longer be returned.

And this is also the responsibility of those who still keep the weapons Ukraine needs in their armory. The responsibility that will forever remain in history.

Just as our gratitude will remain in history. Gratitude to those states and politicians who really helped. Who did not waste time. Who didn’t bargain when life depended on help.

I also signed several important decrees. 187 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 15 servicemen of the National Guard of Ukraine and 6 servicemen of the Main Intelligence Directorate were awarded. The title of Hero of Ukraine was awarded to 5 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in particular to 2 colonels of the medical service:

Ivchuk Viktor Mykhailovych – thanks to his actions more than a hundred lives were saved in Mariupol. Both of the military and civilians.

Slesarenko Oleksandr Petrovych – thanks to his actions in the city of Chernihiv, medical care was provided to more than 450 servicemen and more than 600 civilians.

I am grateful to all our heroes!

Glory to everyone who defends Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Ukrainians!

The bravest people of the best country in the world!

Another week of our struggle for freedom, for the state, is coming to an end.

Another week when Ukraine lives despite all Russia’s efforts to destroy us.

We defend ourselves. Hit back. We develop our relations with partners. We receive help. We ensure the maximum attention of the world to our needs. Influence the global debate. Propose and promote new sanctions against Russia. We are doing everything we can to bring to justice every bastard who came to our land under the Russian flag and killed our people. Who tortured our people. Destroyed our cities. Looted and tormented.

And what is Russia doing? What are its officials, its propagandists and ordinary people doing who repeat what they have heard on television?

They are only justifying themselves and denying. They are trying to shift the responsibility. They are lying. And they have already lost connection with reality to a degree that they accuse us of committing what Russian troops have obviously done – obviously for everyone in the world.

They say about the murders in Bucha that it is not them, but allegedly us. Although it is obvious to everyone that people were killed while the Russian army controlled the city.

They say about the missile strike at Kramatorsk that it is not them, but allegedly us. Although it was their propagandists who announced this strike. Although missiles flew from the territory under their control. And about any of our destroyed cities, about any of our burned villages, they say the same thing, that it is not them either, but allegedly us.

The Russian militaries have already lied to the fact that even after more than six weeks of war, they claim that they did not hit any of the civilian objects!

Do you know why this is so? Because it’s cowardice. Total. Of everyone. Top to bottom.

They are afraid to admit that Russia’s entire policy toward Ukraine has been erroneous for decades and has only ruined everything Russia had in its relations with Ukraine since previous times.

They are afraid to admit that for decades they have been placing erroneous bets and spending enormous resources in support of absolute nobodies who they thought would be the future heroes of Ukrainian-Russian friendship. And these nobodies were skillful at only one thing – taking money out of Russia into their own pockets.

In order not to admit mistakes, they made new mistakes. They deprived themselves of any political tools and, unwilling to give up unrealistic ambitions, started this war.

And, as in everything else, they accused us that the war had begun.

They seized Crimea – and we are allegedly to blame.

They destroyed normal life in Donbas – and we are allegedly to blame.

They shot down a Malaysian Boeing – and we are allegedly to blame.

They have been killing people and children on our land for eight years – and we are allegedly to blame.

They destroyed the most powerful industrial region in Eastern Europe – and we are allegedly to blame.

They ruined the lives of millions of people – and we are allegedly to blame.

They started a full-scale war against us – and we are allegedly to blame.

They have already spent almost two thousand missiles, countless air bombs and artillery shells, mines on strikes at Ukraine – and we are allegedly to blame.

They tortured and killed on our land – and we are to blame.

They deported hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian men and women, our children – and yet we are allegedly to blame.

It all came from cowardice. When cowardice grows, it turns into a catastrophe. When people lack the courage to admit their mistakes, apologize, adapt to reality, learn, they turn into monsters. And when the world ignores it, the monsters decide that it is the world that has to adapt to them. Ukraine will stop all this.

Nothing will help Russian cowardice. The day will come when they will have to admit everything. Admit the truth. All our strength and every minute are aimed at this. Defense, diplomacy, economics, information confrontation, legal responsibility – we have algorithms of action in all areas. Every government official knows his tasks and must fulfill them one hundred percent.

Next week will be no less important than this one than the previous ones. It will be just as tense and even more responsible. Russia will be even more afraid. Afraid to lose. Afraid that the truth will have to be admitted.

Russian troops will move to even larger operations in the east of our state. They can use even more missiles against us, even more air bombs. But we are preparing for their actions. We will respond. We will be even more active in providing Ukraine with weapons. We will be more active in the international arena. We will be even more active in the information field.

I will continue to address the parliaments and nations of the world. We will meet our partners, leaders of other states in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. We will attract even more funds and resources to help Ukraine. Of course, we will justify stronger sanctions against the Russian Federation. So that there is responsibility, so that there is justice. No matter how afraid they are to admit their mistakes – tragic, terrible mistakes – they will have to. Because our courage and our truthfulness clearly prevail. And they will win.

Today is the twelfth anniversary of the plane crash near Smolensk, which took the lives of President Lech Kaczyński and members of the Polish elite. On this day, we stand in solidarity with our Polish friends and allies who are firmly opposed to Russian aggression.

I spoke today with Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz. About how to bring to justice all those guilty of war crimes. How to strengthen sanctions against Russia and how to force Russia to seek peace. I am glad to note that the German position has recently changed in favor of Ukraine. I consider it absolutely logical. Because this course is supported by the majority of the German people. And I am grateful to them. But I expect that everything we agreed on will be implemented. And this is very important.

And a few minutes ago, in preparation for the recording of this address, I signed a decree on state awards to our heroes. 18 defenders of Ukraine. Five servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, three employees of the State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection of Ukraine, ten police officers.

I am grateful to all our male defenders! To all our female defenders!

I am grateful to all those who restore life in the liberated territory of our state.

And I am grateful to all those who ensure our victory in the information confrontation. To all journalists, to editors, to the information marathon “United News”, to all our websites, to all media representatives that do not allow Russian propaganda to win.

The truth will win! Ukraine will win! Definitely.

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Free people of a brave country!

Today, it was a great honor for me to welcome in our capital, on Bankova Street, a sincere friend of Ukraine – Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson on your behalf, on behalf of all Ukrainians.

His visit to our country demonstrates as clearly as possible – there are no obstacles to freedom. There are no obstacles to leadership. Boris was among those who did not hesitate for a moment whether to support Ukraine. The leadership of the United Kingdom in providing our country with the necessary assistance, especially in terms of defense, as well as the leadership in sanctions policy will remain forever in history. In the history of the defense of democracy, in the history of the defense of Europe. Ukraine will always be grateful to Boris and Britain for this.

Today Boris arrived in Kyiv with a new package of financial and defense support for Ukraine. We also discussed new sanctions that are needed to force Russia to seek peace.

The task of our anti-war coalition is quite clear – to end this war started by Russia as soon as possible. To liberate our land from invaders. And to guarantee the security of Ukraine and, consequently, the security of democracy and freedom of the nations of Eastern Europe.

That is why it is not just the moral duty of all democracies, all the forces of Europe – to support Ukraine’s desire for peace.

This is, in fact, a strategy of defense for every civilized state. To put pressure on Russia as much as possible to restore peace and security as soon as possible. To restore the power of international law as soon as possible and to prevent the catastrophe caused by the application of the law of force. The catastrophe that will inevitably hit everyone. Because Russian aggression was not intended to be limited to Ukraine alone. To the destruction of our freedom and our lives alone. The whole European project is a target for Russia.

I was pleased to hear today from Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer an assurance that for the Austrian state to force Russia to seek peace is as fundamental as for other responsible states.

I also heard the promise that Austria, together with its partners in the European Union, will continue its sanctions policy against Russia until the full restoration of real security in our region takes place. Until Russia withdraws all its troops from the Ukrainian sovereign territory.

In response to my question, the Austrian Chancellor also supported a clear prospect of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union as soon as possible.

I would also like to thank Mr. Nehammer for handing over fire engines and rescue vehicles, as well as other equipment to Ukraine, and for helping with fuel.

There is also important news today from President of the European Commission Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau. As part of their global Stand Up For Ukraine campaign, they have raised more than $ 10 billion to help our people. To help Ukrainians who were forced to leave their homes because of Russia’s war against Ukraine. I am grateful to everyone who joined the fundraising!

That is, today was a really fruitful day for Ukraine. For our diplomacy.

And this is the 45th day of our defense against the Russian invasion. Could Moscow think that such events would take place in Kyiv on the 45th day after their invasion? No, they couldn’t even imagine it. And we made it a reality.

All of us, together – every Ukrainian who on February 24 and forever chose courage. Chose Ukraine. Chose freedom and the future.

In all international negotiations, in all contacts with world leaders during these 45 days, I always raise three topics. The first is concrete assistance for our defense. The second is concrete assistance for our people. The third is concrete guarantees of security for our state, which will definitely win in this confrontation.

Of course, I do not hear specific answers to my specific questions from everyone. But there are more and more positive things for Ukraine every day.

However, still not as much so that we can determine the exact date of the end of this war. Russia can still afford to live in illusions and bring new military forces and new equipment to our land. And it means that even more sanctions are needed. Even more weapons for our state are needed.

By the way, Boris Johnson was very specific today in answering my questions. Well, as always. We have already decided what help the United Kingdom will provide to the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. The British people are ready to take patronage over the restoration of Kyiv and the Kyiv region.

The introduction of more painful restrictions on cash flows of the Russian Federation is among the priorities for our diplomacy, for all contacts with our partners. First of all this applies to the oil business. The democratic world can definitely give up Russian oil and make it toxic to all other states. Oil is one of the two sources of Russian self-confidence, their sense of impunity.

Another source – gas – will also be shut down over time. It’s just inevitable. Not only for safety, but also for environmental reasons.

But Ukraine does not have time to wait. Freedom does not have time to wait. When tyranny launches aggression against everything that keeps peace in Europe, action must be taken immediately. It is necessary to act in a principled fashion. And the oil embargo should be the first step. At the level of all democracies, the whole civilized world. Then Russia will feel it. Then it will be an argument for them – to seek peace, to stop pointless violence.

And another piece of news for today. Long-awaited for many of our people. One of our main shrines will return to Ukraine. One of the most revered shrines of Sophia of Kyiv. The icon of St. Mykola Mokryi (Wet), the first miraculous icon of Russia.

We’ve been working for a long time to get it back. It was taken out of Ukraine during World War II. And in due time it will be at home – in St. Sophia. I am grateful to the hierarchs, clergy and faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the United States for this decision. I want the return of this shrine to be an important symbol for all of us. A fundamental symbol. A symbol that we will return all ours to Ukraine. Everything Ukrainian.

We will bring all our people back.

And we will definitely restore justice – restore our complete control over our land.

I am grateful to all our friends!

I am grateful to all our heroes!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Ukrainians!

The 44th day of our defense against the Russian invasion is coming to an end. The 44th dark day. Russian troops launched a missile attack on the Kramatorsk railway station this morning. 38 people died on the spot. Another 12 people died in hospitals during the day. We lost five children. Dozens more heavily wounded remain in hospital.

This is another war crime of Russia, for which everyone involved will be held accountable.

Russian state propagandists were in such a hurry to shift responsibility for the attack to Ukrainian forces that they accidentally blamed Russia.

RIA Novosti reported that the strike on Kramatorsk had been inflicted when the missiles were still in the air. The day before, other Russian propagandists were spreading threats to all those who escaped from Donbas by rail.

All the world’s leading powers have already condemned Russia’s attack on Kramatorsk. We expect a firm, global response to this war crime.

Like the massacre in Bucha, like many other Russian war crimes, the missile strike on Kramatorsk must be one of the charges at the tribunal, which is bound to happen.

All the efforts of the world will be aimed to establish every minute: who did what, who gave orders. Where did the rocket come from, who was carrying it, who gave the order and how the strike was coordinated. Responsibility is inevitable.

I spoke about this today with representatives of the European Union who arrived in Kyiv. With President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell.

During the day, they visited Bucha and witnessed the consequences of the occupation. They saw how many people were killed by the Russian military. I appreciate the EU’s readiness to provide the necessary financial and technical assistance to document and investigate Russian crimes. I am grateful to the President of the European Commission for her personal involvement and assistance in setting up a joint investigation team to establish the full truth about the actions of the Russian occupiers and bring all those responsible to justice.

I am also grateful for the financial support – one billion euros for weapons. Plus today we agreed on another 500 million euros for defense needs.

I held negotiations with the Prime Minister of Slovakia and thanked for the unprecedented defensive and other support. For the warmth of Slovak hearts towards Ukrainian men and women.

We also talked with EU officials about further steps to force Russia to seek peace. I emphasized that the existing sanctions are not enough. The pressure on Russia must be increased.

It is necessary to introduce a full energy embargo – on oil, on gas. It is energy exports that provide the lion’s share of Russia’s profits and allow the Russian leadership to believe in its impunity. This allows Russia to hope that the world will ignore the war crimes of its army. We will not allow this. Everyone in the world who has the courage, like Ukrainians, to resist tyranny will not allow this.

Russian banks must also be completely disconnected from the global financial system. Not some of them, but all, the entire banking system of Russia. It is inadmissible that the greatest threat to global security is finding its way to global wealth.

In this context, I also evaluate the new announced package of sanctions against Russia.

I believe the softness with which some in the West still treat the Russian state is wrong. We know who is constantly trying to soften sanctions proposals. And we will do our best to finally make Europe understand: in any case, you will have to impose really principled and really strong sanctions against Russia. And not some partial restriction of Russian energy exports. Not some partial restriction of Russian navigation. We know everyone who delays the decisions. But I am confident that both these politicians and these countries will change their position under the pressure of all that Russia is doing against Ukrainians and against freedom in Europe.

I addressed the Parliament and the people of Finland today. I called on Finnish politicians to do everything possible to help Ukraine. I also reminded that the best way to stop tyranny and protect freedom is to provide Ukraine with the necessary weapons. The weapons we have repeatedly asked for from the West. The weapons that are available there. I will continue to fight every day, literally every hour, to get everything our state needs.

Russia’s war against our people may end in victory of freedom much sooner than many in the world think if Ukraine simply receives the weapons the list of which we have provided. Any delay in providing such weapons to Ukraine, any excuses can mean only one thing: the relevant politicians want to help the Russian leadership more than us Ukrainians.

No matter what, we will continue to protect our land and our people in any case.

Yes, not everyone in the world has found the courage we have. But we have powerful and principled partners and friends. Real friends who help Ukraine to really protect us. To really protect freedom in Europe. I am convinced that Ukraine’s victory is only a matter of time. And I will do my best to reduce this time.

By the way, we also talked today about the time needed for Ukraine’s full accession to the European Union.

Today we received a questionnaire from the European Commission. Finally. A questionnaire the answers to which will be the basis for preparing the conclusion of the European Commission on Ukraine’s readiness for EU membership negotiations.

Our Government will prepare answers qualitatively and very quickly. I think in a week. Next is the conclusion of the European Commission, which will be prepared in the next few months. And then there will be the decisions of the member states and the negotiations on accession.

I am convinced of our success on this path. I am convinced that we are finally close to realizing our long-standing goal. Ukraine will be one of the equals in our common European home. Ukraine will be a member of the European Union. A peaceful, sovereign, rebuilt state. We will provide it. There is no doubt.

We are also preparing for tomorrow’s mass event in Warsaw, which will take place within the initiative of President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau – Stand for Ukraine.

It is about the support for Ukrainians, for our migrants. All funds will be allocated for the support of Ukrainians.

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Ukrainians!

The 43rd day of full-scale war is over. Russia’s war against Ukraine. A war that has revealed the whole truth about our country, about all other countries, about Russia and about the world in general. This war shows how much everyone did not want to notice in our country. In our people. How much the world believed in foreign propaganda and Russian myths about Ukraine, not in reality.

We have always been like that… We have always been brave. The bravest in the world. I am sure of that. Because who else would do what Ukrainians do? Who else had so much courage to constantly fight against any manifestations of tyranny and defend freedom? In every election, in revolutions and in war. Who else had the courage to fight against all Russian forces on land, in the air and at sea? Who else had the courage to go unarmed against Russian armored vehicles where the Russians temporarily managed to seize something? Who else had the courage to tell the world that hypocrisy is a bad weapon? And not just to tell, but to convince and restore honesty in the world. Who else had the courage to persuade the largest global companies to forget about accounting and recall morality? And to teach all political leaders – whatever they are – to be at least a little Ukrainian… At least a little brave.

In fact, this is our brand. This is what it means to be us. To be Ukrainians. To be brave.

If everyone in the world had at least ten percent of the courage that we Ukrainians have, there would be no danger to international law at all. There would be no danger to the freedom of the nations. We will spread our courage. We will start a special global campaign. We will teach the world to be not just a little bit, but full of courage. Like us, like Ukrainians.

There are certain results already. First of all, they are manifested in the current sanctions against the Russian Federation. But that’s the thing – the results are still “certain”. Not yet the ones needed to stop Russia. To stop the war.

Please note: this is not the first day that the media has been talking not about how sanctions against Russia actually work, but about why these sanctions are important. As if they are convincing themselves that they have introduced the right things, that there are enough restrictions.

But if the sanctions really worked one hundred percent, they would not have to explain in such detail why they are important.

Therefore, I emphasize once again: more sanctions are needed. Even bolder sanctions are needed.

Courage must be a criterion for evaluating decisions. Courage and practicality.

First of all, Ukraine needs weapons that will allow us to win on the battlefield. And this will be the strongest sanction against Russia of all possible ones.

We have good diplomatic news today. Russia is gradually losing even on those platforms that it considered quite comfortable for itself.

In particular, the UN General Assembly decided to suspend Russia’s membership in the Human Rights Council. It is quite logical. Quite rightly. But also not without fighting for this decision. I am grateful to those states that have supported this decision. Russia has had nothing to do with the concept of human rights for a long time already. Maybe someday that will change. But so far, the Russian state and the Russian military are the greatest threat on the planet to freedom, to human security, to the concept of human rights as such. After Bucha, this is already obvious.

And the work on dismantling the debris in Borodyanka began… It’s much worse there.

Even more victims of the Russian occupiers. And what will happen when the world learns the whole truth about what the Russian military did in Mariupol? There, on almost every street, is what the world saw in Bucha and other towns in the Kyiv region after the withdrawal of Russian troops. The same cruelty. The same heinous crimes.

More and more information is coming in that Russian propagandists are preparing, so to speak, a “mirror response” to the shock of all normal people from what they saw in Bucha. They are going to show the victims in Mariupol as if they were killed not by the Russian military, but by the Ukrainian defenders of the city. To do this, the occupiers collect corpses on the streets, take them out and can use them elsewhere in accordance with the elaborated propaganda scenarios.

We are dealing with invaders who have nothing human left. To justify their own killings, they take the murdered people simply as scenery, as propaganda props. And this is a separate war crime, for which each of the propagandists will be held accountable.

More and more countries around the world support the need for a full and transparent investigation of all war crimes of the Russian occupiers in Ukraine. Every murder case will be solved. Each of the torturers will be found. All those who committed rape or looting will be identified. Responsibility is inevitable.

Today I continued to address the parliaments and nations of neighboring countries, our partners, our friends. Today was Greece. Today was the Republic of Cyprus.

I thanked them for supporting Ukraine and joint European efforts to force Russia to seek peace. I urged to do more to stop the war. I urged Greece to use its influence as part of the European Union to save Mariupol. I urged Cyprus to take special measures against Russia. Such as the abolition of “golden passports” for Russians. As well as the blocking of yachts, the blocking of other Russian vessels in the waters of Cyprus.

I am planning an address to the Parliament and the people of Finland tomorrow.

I would like to note that diplomatic representatives of other states are returning to the capital together with Kyiv residents. The Turkish Embassy returned yesterday. The Ambassador of Lithuania returned today. Earlier, the Slovenian Embassy resumed its work in Kyiv.

I am sincerely grateful to the friends of Ukraine who support us exactly as we need it now, also at the level of symbols, at the level of diplomatic gestures.

This is also about courage.

And I look forward to the opportunity to have a meeting with everyone who is with us. With all who are brave. Come back. With all the diplomats who have returned to our capital and continue to work.

The presence of foreign diplomatic missions in Kyiv is a normal work of embassies, it is a clear signal to the aggressor that Kyiv is our capital. Not the provincial city of Russia, but the Ukrainian capital.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to do everything to repel the offensive of Russian troops in Donbas. The occupiers’ troops in this area are becoming more active and are being reinforced from Russia. We see it all. We analyze every step of the enemy. And we will provide an answer. A tough one.

And already a stable tradition: before delivering this address, I signed decrees to honor our bravest soldiers with state awards and the title of Hero of Ukraine.

344 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were awarded. Five more servicemen became Heroes of Ukraine today.

I am sincerely grateful for the service to each of our male defenders. I am sincerely grateful to each of our female defenders!

I am sincerely grateful for the courage of the Ukrainian people.

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Dear Mr. Speaker!

Dear Mrs. President!

Dear Mr. Prime Minister!

Dear members of the Greek Parliament!

Greek people!

Kalimera!

For more than a month now, my every morning begins with Mariupol. With what is happening in this Ukrainian city, which Russian troops are simply destroying. This has never happened in the history of Europe in all the years after World War II that a city is destroyed to ashes, destroyed completely. That it is under blockade and its inhabitants are killed with starvation and thirst.

It was a city of half a million people! About a hundred thousand people still remain in it. But there are virtually no undamaged buildings, the vast majority of buildings in the city are completely destroyed.

The Russian military destroyed everything. They blew up hospitals, maternity hospitals and apartment buildings. They even blew up the city theater where civilians were hiding from bombs and next to which were inscriptions that everyone saw – the inscriptions “children”. The inscriptions seen by Russian pilots, which did not stop them from air strikes.

Mariupol is almost destroyed. I’m sure each of you has already seen what the city looks like now. After it was approached by the Russian Federation. Just ruins. This is what Russia has done with our peaceful Mariupol. But also with your peaceful Mariupol. This city has always been home to a large Greek community. The Ukrainian Greek community is one of the largest in the world. For centuries, our people have lived side by side, raised children and built the future.

The ties between Ukraine and Greece are so old that it is now impossible to find their origin. Greek poleis on our Black Sea coast, cultural exchange and trade, community coexistence – all this is thousands of years of history. Greek Chersonesus was even depicted on our national currency – hryvnia.

It is with Greece that the development of Christianity is tied not only in our country, but also in our region in general. Ukraine is one of the largest Orthodox countries, and the light of Baptism was brought by the Greeks. If someone tried to snatch Greek roots from Ukrainian history and culture we would lose a fundamental part of ourselves.

In the same way the basic things of your history, your national self-perception are tied with the Ukrainian land. “Freedom or death!” – these words now reflect not only our struggle against Russia’s attempt to conquer Ukraine. This is a part of your identity that comes from our Odesa. Another southern city of Ukraine that Russia may try to destroy, as well as Mariupol.

When your foreign minister was in Odesa last week, the city was experiencing the consequences of Russian shelling, another missile attack. There are no gunshots in Odesa today. But why? Only because the Armed Forces of Ukraine are deterring Russian attacks and repelling barbaric Russian troops from their direction of attack on Odesa long-agreed by Russian leadership.

Russian troops have now brought death and destruction to where Ukrainians and Greeks have enjoyed peace and prosperity for centuries. Moreover, Russia has begun a new deportation of people from the south of Ukraine. At least tens of thousands of our people have already been deported to Russia and to the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia. These are residents of Mariupol and other cities and communities that came under attack by Russian troops.

This forced relocation of people by Russia is not the first one for both Greeks and Ukrainians. But the Russian state is carrying it out now as if deportation is not the last one. Russia is absolutely convinced of its impunity for everything it does.

We have to stop it! We must bring Russia to justice. We must save Odesa from the same destruction that Mariupol suffered. We must find everyone, all the people deported by Russia. We must save at least those in Mariupol who are still alive and who can be saved!

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Greek people!

Filiki Eteria, founded in our Odesa, has played a role in the history of your country, which cannot be overestimated. And I urge you now, openly, to create such a new union of friends, which will be able to save the Ukrainians and Greeks of the south of our state. Which will be able to help Mariupol.

The city needs humanitarian aid! The city needs its people – survivors and wounded – to be saved. Russia has been blocking Mariupol since the beginning of March, blocking on land and at sea. It does not allow even basic humanitarian cargo into the city. I am convinced that the strength of Greece can help carry out this mission. Days are numbered.

And now I ask you to listen not only to me. Regarding the fate of this city. Please listen to the two defenders of Mariupol who are now there, right there, and together with their colleagues are trying to stop the Russian offensive. Listen to two Ukrainians, but also two Greeks as well.

One of them is forced to wear a mask, not to show his face. Because his family, his parents are in one of the Russian-occupied towns. I hope you understand.

***

I am grateful to Greece for the humanitarian and defense support already provided to Ukraine. I am grateful for the support of the general sanctions policy of the democratic world. But the war continues. The destruction of Mariupol continues. You have heard these heroes. The deportation of people from the territories where Russian troops came continues.

I urge you to use the influence of your state and your opportunities, as a member of the European Union, to organize the rescue of Mariupol. I urge you to do more to make Russia seek peace and even give up its dreams of conquering Ukraine. Because this war that Russia has started against us is actually destroying everything that Ukrainians and Greeks have created together in a long time. What will be left after the Russian artillery and Russian bombs? I will tell you: they will destroy all our common history, our common heritage.

And we will not be comforted saying about Mariupol in the future: “These are new Thermopylae”. When the heroes died, stopping a large enemy army. Now we can save our heroes.

And we can also drive the enemy Russian army out of Ukrainian land. We can teach Russia and any other potential aggressors once and for all that whoever chooses war always loses. He who tries to deprive of independence and destroy the territorial integrity of states always loses. Anyone who blackmails Europe with an economic or energy crisis always loses.

Let’s be honest, Russia’s actions from the beginning were aimed not only at Ukraine, but at Europe as a whole. Russia is doing everything to keep Europeans without available energy. And to make energy poverty a new reality on the continent. Russia is doing everything to provoke an outbreak of inflation for many nations. Russia last year artificially created a deficit in the European gas market. And now it is doing everything to artificially create a deficit in the world food market.

It is a matter of honor for Europeans to respond to such a policy of the Russian Federation. As long as Russian troops block peaceful cities and deport people, no Russian bank has the right to make money from the world’s financial system. They all must be blocked! All, not just part.

As long as this pointless and brutal war continues, no Russian vessel has the right to enter the ports of the democratic world. Why help them? For them to earn even more money for missiles and bombs to destroy not only Mariupol, but also Odesa and other Ukrainian cities?

And first of all – no support for Russian tankers, these oil carriers, which provide Russia with a constant flow of money for the killings.

Ukraine needs weapons to force Russian troops to leave our country. In particular, air defense systems, artillery systems and shells, armored vehicles and other things that everyone in the West is well aware of. The sooner Ukraine receives this assistance, the more lives we will be able to save in Ukraine.

And one more thing. Historical. Our nations have always been and will always be closely bonded. I believe that we will be able to bring peace to our Ukrainian land. We will be able to bring to justice all those responsible for these war crimes against Ukrainians, against Greeks and against all other people who fell victim to the Russian military.

We will be able to rebuild Mariupol and all other Ukrainian communities where Ukrainians and Greeks will live just as peacefully and with respect for each other as it was before.

But I also believe that Ukraine and Greece will soon live on an equal footing in our common European home, the European Union. I believe in this! I know it!

We will win everyone! But only together!

Thank you for your support!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Ukrainians!

Our defenders!

It seems that the attitude to the modern Russian state is finally changing in the world. After what the world saw in Bucha when Russian troops retreated.

Now the attitude to everyone in Russia will be simple: you support either the search for peace or unjustified massacre.

Killed Ukrainian men and women in Bucha, in Irpin, in other cities that Russian troops entered is the last argument. The last argument for every citizen of Russia to decide whether you are for war or for peace. If for war, then you will forever – until the end of your life – be outcasts and in the end you will lose everything. And if for peace, if you feel even a little bit of shame for what the Russian troops are doing in Ukraine, then now is a key moment for such citizens of Russia: you have to demand – exactly demand – an end to the war. It is better now, demanding peace, to lose something, to somehow face the Russian repressive machine than to be equated with the Nazis for the rest of your life. This applies not only to any public person in the Russian Federation, not only to businessmen, but also to ordinary citizens.

Nazism has no future. Mass killings have no future. Everyone in Russia who will not demand an end to this shameful war and the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine has no future.

It seems that the Russian leadership is really afraid that the anger of the world because of what they saw in Bucha would be repeated because of what they will see in other cities, from where we will definitely drive out the occupiers. We have information that the Russian troops have changed their tactics and are trying to remove the killed people from the streets and basements of the occupied territory. Killed Ukrainians. This is just an attempt to hide the evidence and nothing more.

But they will not succeed, because they killed a lot. Responsibility cannot be avoided.

We already know about thousands of missing people. We already know about thousands of people who could be either deported to Russia or killed. There are no other options for their fate.

The situation now is that thanks to an objective investigation, thanks to witnesses, thanks to satellite surveillance of events on earth, thanks to other tools that help establish the truth we will find out all the circumstances regarding the majority of our missing citizens. Regarding most of Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine.

If the world has started a debate about whether it is permissible to call what the Russian military did on the territory of Ukraine genocide, the search for truth can no longer be stopped. You can’t roll it back in any way. One can only quickly abandon further aggression against Ukraine and thus try to somehow reduce the damage to Russian statehood and to those who personally adopt key decisions in Russia.

If not, if nothing changes, then it is suicide. Suicide for anyone who chooses to continue the war.

Today, Western countries announced a new package of sanctions against the Russian Federation. New investments in Russia are blocked, restrictions are applied against several systemic banks in Russia, personal sanctions are added, as well as other restrictions. This package has a spectacular look. But this is not enough.

Still it can hardly be called commensurate with the evil that the world saw in Bucha. With the evil that continues in Mariupol, in the shelling of Kharkiv, in Russia’s attempt to launch a new global bloody offensive in Donbas…

We will continue to insist on a complete blockade of the Russian banking system from international finance. We will also continue to insist on one or another format of the democratic world’s refusal to buy Russian oil. It is the export of oil that is one of the foundations of Russia’s aggression. One of the foundations that allows the Russian leadership not to take seriously the negotiations on ending the war and on the liberation of Ukrainian territory.

Some politicians are still unable to decide how to limit the flow of dollars and euros to Russia from the oil trade, so as not to jeopardize their own economies. But that’s why people go into politics. To solve such problems, difficult tasks. To solve them quickly and in a principled fashion. If you are not capable, then you shouldn’t have started political activity.

The embargo on Russian oil supplies will be applied anyway. The format will be found. The only question is how many more Ukrainian men and women the Russian military will have time to kill, so that you, some politicians – and we know you, can borrow a little determination somewhere.

It is good that the United States Department of the Treasury has suspended Russia’s ability to use US bank accounts and related assets to pay its debt. It’s tangible. And I’m grateful for that. But much more needs to be done to stop the war.

If there is no really painful package of sanctions against Russia and if there is no supply of weapons we really need and have applied for many times, it will be considered by Russia as a permission. A permission to go further. A permission to attack. A permission to start a new bloody wave in Donbas.

It is still possible to prevent this. It is still possible to impose such sanctions, which Ukraine insists on, our people insist on. It is still possible to give us weapons that will really stop this aggression. The West can do it.

Just as it could have applied preventive sanctions last year to prevent this invasion. If the mistake is made again, if there is no preventive action again, it will be a historic mistake for the whole Western world.

I addressed the parliament and the people of Ireland today. This country was one of the first to come to our aid after February 24. And it is one of those who shows principled leadership in the European house to put effective and decisive pressure on Russia.

As a result of my address, we have good news: Ireland fully supports Ukraine’s accelerated accession to the European Union. And it will do everything to increase the pressure on Russia as much as necessary to end this war.

Tomorrow I will address the parliaments and nations of Greece and the Republic of Cyprus.

In the afternoon I held a meeting with members of the Cabinet of Ministers in Kyiv. The key issues are the implementation of the state budget and economic activity in our country. We must do everything possible to restore the work of domestic enterprises, trade activities, and revive small and medium-sized enterprises throughout our territory where it is safe and possible to work.

The economy is also a frontline on which we fight for our freedom, for our state, for our people. Therefore, we need to constantly look for ways to adapt to the circumstances. Now we need to be as creative and bold as possible in solving economic issues. It depends not only on government officials and the central government in general. In general, it also depends on all leaders at the local level, on the political and business communities.

We must all find the necessary ideas, the necessary solutions to stabilize the country’s economy together. If we need to relocate businesses from certain areas, we have to do it. If we need to update legislation and give businesses more room for development, MPs must do so quickly. If we need to create special conditions for the return of people, and the security situation in a particular area allows, every leader at any level must make every effort and do everything possible to return people to such safe areas.

Today, the 42nd day of the Russian invasion has come to an end. This is not too much for military history. But for the life of a particular person – it is tangible. Right now, many of our people who left their cities, their communities after the invasion of Russia may wonder: what next? And where next? In particular, Ukrainians abroad. In particular, Kyivans and residents of other cities in the north and center of our state who moved to the western regions.

And I call on all community leaders in areas where there is no threat of direct confrontation with the enemy on the ground to do everything possible for people to return, for people to work, for economic processes to restart. To restore normal life as much as security allows.

This applies to the entire horizontal of local government – mayors, deputies of city and regional councils. Look for solutions for every district, for every region! Together with the government, together with us, with the Office of the President, together with the deputies of the Verkhovna Rada. A working economy is just as important as our brave, strong army.

The Russian occupiers continue to accumulate fighting force to realize their ill ambitions in Donbas. They are preparing to resume an active offensive.

We are preparing for a further reduction of Russia’s military potential. Manpower and equipment. We will fight and we will not retreat. We will look for all possible options to defend ourselves until Russia begins to seriously seek peace.

This is our land. This is our future. And we will not give them up.

I never tire of thanking each of our defenders everyday – all our Armed Forces, intelligence, special services, the National Police, everyone who allows us to hope and believe in victory. Allows us to count on peace.

Sincere gratitude! Sincere respect!

And before delivering this evening’s address, I traditionally signed decrees on awarding our heroes. 168 servicemen of the Armed Forces. And 3 servicemen from the Main Directorate of Intelligence.

Eternal glory to everyone who defends Ukraine!

Eternal memory to everyone who gave life for our state!

Glory to Ukraine!

The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, to the Irish Parliament on 6 April 2022.

Dear speakers!

The Taoiseach and members of the government!

Dear members of the Oireachtas!

Dear people of Ireland!

Tonight Russian missiles again struck the territory of our state. Foully hitting the ordinary civilian infrastructure. In particular, the new depot with fuel. One of the dozens that Russia sees as a target. And this has already become the trademark of the occupiers – to destroy everything that helps to arrange ordinary life of ordinary people. They consistently destroy fuel storage sites, product distribution centers, destroy even conventional agricultural machinery, and mine fields. They are constantly sowing mines everywhere. In every place they are leaving.

In addition, Russia has blocked all our seaports, along with those vessels that have already been loaded with agricultural goods for export.

Why are they doing this?

Because they also consider hunger as their weapon. Weapon against us, ordinary people. As a tool to dominate.

Ukraine is one of the leading countries in the global food market. Without our exports, it is not simply a shortage, but a threat of famine for more than a dozen countries in Africa and Asia. Because there will be not enough volumes of commodities and prices will hike. It’s a fact.

It will be harder for millions of the poor in North Africa and parts of Asia to feed their families.

Now, it is the time of the planting season in Ukraine. To foil our planting season, to destroy our infrastructure is to deliberately provoke a food crisis. And what will happen due to this crisis? At least, it will be political turbulence. At most, there will be outbreaks of violence in regions where instability is becoming traditional, and a new mass influx of refugees who are simply looking for ways to survive will be seen.

Russia has been using hunger against our people since the first days of the war. The worst is in Mariupol. This half-million city was completely blocked by Russian troops more than a month ago. They blocked access from both land and sea. Any access.

They are blocking humanitarian goods, do not allow to bring anything – food, water, medicine. When there was snow, people could melt at least the snow to get water, but now there is none.

Round-the-clock shelling, air raids, bombing continue… There is not a single building left in Mariupol, not a single undamaged building. In the city with the population of half a million – none.

The dead and killed were buried in the yards of destroyed high-rise buildings. When they were able to do it. But in many cases it was not possible to bury. The bodies of people remained in the streets, in the ruins of houses, in collapsed basements.

We do not know how many Mariupol residents have been killed by Russia. But we know for sure that this was part of the general tactics of the occupiers. They did the same or tried to do the same with Chernihiv, Sumy, Okhtyrka, Kharkiv, Izium, Volnovakha and many other Ukrainian cities. You may not have heard all these names yet. But these are millions of people that Russia was simply trying to destroy. And continues to do so.

When you hear this, it may seem impossible. It may seem that no one in today’s world would dare to do so. But these are real facts.

The fact that the residents of Mariupol drew on the sheets of school notebooks how to find where the bodies of their loved ones are buried in the city yards. The fact that the Russian occupiers shot people on the roads as they tried to escape from the blocked cities. Hundreds of cars hit by shelling are still left on Ukrainian highways.

The fact that the Russian military did not even try to remove the bodies of killed people from the streets. While Bucha, Irpin and other our cities were under occupation, the corpses were laying just on the roads, on the roadsides, in the yards of houses – anywhere…

The fact that at least 167 children have been killed in 42 days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. We do not yet know all the victims of Mariupol. We do not know the victims of other cities, areas where hostilities or occupation continue.

The fact that 927 educational institutions and 285 hospitals have been destroyed or damaged in the shelling by Russia. Even 73 ambulances have come under the occupiers’ fire!

They bombed and shelled even churches… Even shelters, which they knew for sure that there was no one there but women and children… And that’s a fact.

A state that does this does not deserve to be among others in the international community.

Russia does not deserve relations with it as with one of the normal states. It must be responsible for everything it has done on Ukrainian land.

The Russian military came to Ukraine as an army of colonizers. Their state propagandists, their politicians don’t even hide what they want anymore.

In the 21st century, they see their state as a colonial empire that allegedly has the right to subjugate neighbouring nations and destroy any basis for their independent living. Destroy even the very identity of nations. Everything that makes us Ukrainians…

The Russian military purposefully searched for and killed teachers in the occupied territories. Everyone who was associated with the army. They kidnap local government officials and kill community leaders. Along with the Russian army, units to suppress any political resistance immediately they entered our territory were created…

Now, when there are discussions about sanctions against the Russian Federation, I just can’t hear any doubts, I can’t see any indecision…

After everything we have experienced in Ukraine. After all that the Russian troops did. Even now, when the world already knows everything about Russia’s war crimes against our people, we have to persuade even some European companies to leave the Russian market. We still have to convince Western politicians in some countries that we need to stop any connection between Russian banks and the global financial system. Unfortunately, we still have to convince Europe that it is impossible that Russian oil provides the Russian military machine with a generous flow of money.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Irish people!

From the first days of the Russian invasion, you are on the side of good. On the side of freedom. On the side of Ukraine. And this is also a fact. You have no doubt whether to help us. You started doing it right away. And although you are a neutral country, you have not remained neutral to the grief and suffering that Russia has brought to Ukrainians. I am grateful to all of you for that. I am grateful to the leadership of your country, to every Irish man and woman. I am grateful for the support of sanctions against Russia. I am grateful for the humanitarian and financial support provided to us.

Thank you for taking special care of our people who have sought and found safety in your land. Just think about it: Russia has already left homeless 10 million Ukrainians who were forced to flee their hometowns because of this war … It is simply impossible to accept!

But let us be aware that Russia has not yet given up on its plans. It is still continuing offensive operations in Ukraine. It is still looking for ways to conquer all our Ukrainian people.

We must do everything together so that Russia forced to seek only peace. It seek only way to leave the territory of Ukraine and give us in peace.

That is why I urge you to show even more leadership in our anti-war coalition!

I urge you to persuade your EU partners to toughen sanctions against the Russian Federation. The sanctions that will really stop Russia’s military machine.

We need to stop all trade with Russia. Russia’s banks’ ties with the world’s financial system must be blocked. We need to cut off the flow of money that the Russian budget receives for oil and spends it on missiles, bombs, artillery shelling…

The world has long developed appropriate mechanisms. Everyone knows what to do.

The only obstacle is the lack of principled stance of individual leaders. Yet. Political leaders, business leaders. Those who still think that war and war crimes are not as terrible as financial losses.

I’m sure your leadership can change that.

I am confident that all of us in Europe together will be able to end this terrible war and restore peace and stability in Eastern Europe. It is simply impossible to procrastinate with this. The longer the Russian aggression lasts, the worse the consequences will be not only for our continent, but also for the neighbouring regions of our planet.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Irish people!

Our common principles, our common fearlessness have already started a new page in the history of relations between Ukraine and Ireland. Our mutual understanding and respect is at the level where we can say: it is only a matter of time before you and we live together in our common European home. I am grateful to you for supporting the special fast-track procedure for granting Ukraine membership in the European Union. With your leadership, it will be even faster and more profitable for both our nations.

And now we need to think about the restoration of our country. About recovery after the war. We invite the leading countries of the planet to take part in the reconstruction of Ukraine. Of course, I invite Ireland to take part in this project. I do it with pleasure.

For example, in our Kherson region. Your ability to value life and people, your ability to live in communities, your economic potential – they are well-known. So let’s join forces and show that Ukraine and Ireland together can do much more than the world’s largest state planned to destroy.

Grateful to Ireland!

Glory to Ukraine!

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

Ukrainians!

Today I will not take away much of your attention. The day was very informative. I will only briefly walk through the main points of my work this Tuesday, the 41st day of the invasion of the Russian Federation.

I continued my active diplomatic work. Addressed the UN Security Council, which convened for a special meeting on Russia’s war crimes in Bucha and in the occupied territories of Ukraine in general. I said what should have been said in this format a long time ago.

The UN Security Council exists, and security in the world doesn’t. For anyone. This definitely means that the United Nations is currently unable to carry out the functions for which it was created. And only one state is to blame for this – Russia, which discredits the UN and all other international institutions where it still participates.

Well, not exactly participates… Tries to block everything constructive and use global architecture in order to spread lies and justify the evil it does.

I’m sure the world sees it. I hope the world will draw conclusions. Otherwise there will be only one institution left in the world to guarantee the security of states. Namely – weapons.

I offered to the members of the UN Security Council and to all other states that respect international law specific things that could change the situation. In particular, a global conference already in peaceful Kyiv to determine how the world’s architecture can be reformed given all the actions of Russia, which is still occupying the seat of a permanent member of the UN Security Council received from the Soviet Union.

I also addressed the Parliament and the people of Spain. A state that supports our struggle for freedom and for the preservation of democracy in Europe.

I also spoke today with President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron about the humanitarian situation in the temporarily occupied regions of Ukraine. About how we can help people in the blocked Mariupol. We also agreed that France would provide the necessary technical and expert support in the investigation of the crimes of the Russian occupiers in Bucha and other cities of our country.

We are preparing a new package of powerful sanctions against Russia for everything it has done to our people.

Now is a crucial moment, especially for Western leaders. And this is no longer about how our people will evaluate the new sanctions and what I will say about them. This is about how decisions on sanctions will be assessed in Western societies themselves. After what the world saw in Bucha, sanctions against Russia must be commensurate with the gravity of the occupiers’ war crimes. If after that Russian banks will still be able to function as usual… If after that the transit of goods to Russia will continue as usual… If after that the EU countries will pay for Russian energy resources as usual… Then the political fate of some leaders will develop not as usual. My advice to everyone: feel now that the moment is really crucial.

We are preparing to welcome President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell in Kyiv in the near future. Working together in Kyiv is something that will be praised by many nations of the world. And not only in Europe. Because now Kyiv is the capital of global democracy, the capital of the struggle for freedom for all on the European continent.

And I want to thank all our defenders for making this possible. For the fact that the Armed Forces of Ukraine hold most of the areas where the enemy tried to break into the country.

The most difficult situation, as in previous days, is in Donbas, in the Kharkiv direction. But we continue to do everything to ensure that our defenders have something to stop the Russian troops with.

We are aware that the occupiers outnumber us. That they have more equipment. We are aware of the attempts by Russian leaders to recruit new fools all over Russia among cadets of military schools, people with combat experience and conscripts to send them all to slaughter in another offensive.

But we have no other choice – the fate of our land and our people is being decided. We know what we are fighting for. And we do everything to win.

Today in the Mariyinsky Palace I presented the Golden Star Orders to the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who were awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine, and to the members of families of those who were posthumously awarded this title.

Now it is in the Mariyinsky Palace, in the White Hall, where we always meet foreign heads of state, that such important ceremonies will take place. We will demonstrate every time that our defenders deserve respect and honor at the highest level.

And the White Hall of the Mariyinsky Palace will henceforth be called the White Hall of the Heroes of Ukraine. I also handed over the Order of Courage to the family of the deceased documentary photographer Maks Levin who was viciously killed by the occupiers in the Kyiv region. During his life, he made a significant contribution to making us all see and know what is happening in our country.

Traditionally, before delivering the evening address, I signed decrees awarding our military. 292 servicemen, 57 of them posthumously.

Eternal memory to all who gave their lives for Ukraine!

Eternal gratitude to each of our defenders!

Everything for the victory. Everything for peace. Everything for Ukraine.

Glory to Ukraine!

The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 5 April 2022.

Dear Mrs. President!

Dear Mr. Secretary General!

Dear members of the Security Council and other participants of the meeting!

Thank you for the opportunity.

I am sure that all the representatives of the UN member states will hear me today.

Yesterday I returned from our city of Bucha, recently liberated from the troops of the Russian Federation.

It is difficult to find a war crime that the occupiers have not committed there.

The Russian military searched for and purposefully killed anyone who served our state.

They executed women outside the houses when approaching and simply calling someone alive.

They killed whole families – adults and children. And they tried to burn their bodies.

I am addressing you on behalf of the people who honor the memory of the deceased everyday. Everyday, in the morning.

The memory of the killed civilians.

Who were shot in the back of the head or in the eye after being tortured. Who were shot just on the streets.

Who were thrown into the well, so that they die there in suffering.

Who were killed in apartments, houses, blown up by grenades. Who were crushed by tanks in civilian cars in the middle of the road. For fun.

Whose limbs were cut off, whose throat was cut. Who were raped and killed in front of their own children.

Their tongues were torn out only because they did not hear from them what they wanted to hear.

How is this different from what the ISIS terrorists were doing in the occupied territory?

Except that it is done by a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

It destroys the internal unity of states.

Destroys state borders.

Denies the right of more than a dozen peoples on two continents to self-determination and independent state life. Pursues a consistent policy of destroying ethnic and religious diversity.

Inflames wars and deliberately wages them in such a way as to kill as many ordinary civilians as possible. To destroy as many ordinary peaceful cities as possible. To leave in the country where it sends its troops only ruins and mass graves. You’ve seen it all.

Promotes hatred at the state level and seeks to export it to other countries through its system of propaganda and political corruption.

Provokes a global food crisis that could lead to famine in Africa and Asia, and will certainly end in large-scale political chaos in countries where food price stability is a key factor of domestic security.

So where is the security that the Security Council must guarantee? There is no security. Although there is a Security Council, as if nothing happened.

So where is the peace that the United Nations was created to guarantee?

It is obvious that the key institution of the world, which must ensure the coercion of any aggressors to peace, simply cannot work effectively.

Now the world has seen what the Russian military did in Bucha while keeping our city under occupation. But the world has yet to see what they have done in other occupied cities, in other occupied areas of our country.

Geography may be different, but cruelty is the same. Crimes are the same.

And responsibility must be inevitable.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

I would like to remind you of the first article of the first chapter of the UN Charter. What is the purpose of our organization? To maintain peace. And to force to peace. Now the UN Charter is being violated literally from the first article. And if so, what is the point of all other articles?

Today, it is as a result of Russia’s actions on the territory of my state, on the territory of Ukraine, that the most heinous war crimes of all time since the end of World War II are being committed.

Russian troops are deliberately destroying Ukrainian cities to ashes with artillery and air strikes.

They are deliberately blocking cities, creating mass starvation in them. They are deliberately shooting at columns of civilians on the roads who are trying to escape from the territory of hostilities.

They are even deliberately blowing up shelters where civilians are hiding from air strikes. They are deliberately creating conditions in the temporarily occupied territories so that as many civilians as possible are killed there.

The massacre in our city of Bucha is just one, unfortunately, of many examples of what the occupiers have been doing on our land for 41 days.

And there are many other such places that the world has yet to find out the full truth of: Mariupol, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Okhtyrka, Borodyanka and dozens of other Ukrainian communities, each of which is like Bucha.

I know, and you know very well, what the representatives of Russia will say in response to the accusations of these crimes. They have said this many times. The most illustrative was after the downing of a Malaysian Boeing over Donbas by Russian forces with Russian weapons. Or during the war in Syria.

They will blame everyone, just to justify themselves. They will say that there are different versions, and which of them is true is allegedly impossible to establish yet. They will even say that the bodies of those killed were allegedly “planted”, and all the videos are staged.

But. Now is the year 2022. There is conclusive evidence. There are satellite images. It is possible to conduct a full, transparent investigation.

That is what we are interested in.

Maximum access of journalists. Maximum cooperation with international institutions. Involvement of the International Criminal Court. Full truth, full responsibility.

I am sure that every state in the UN system should be interested in this. For what? In order to punish once and for all those who consider themselves privileged, consider themselves unpunished. Hence, to show all other potential war criminals in the world that they will inevitably be punished as well. If the biggest is punished, everyone will be punished.

Why did Russia come to Ukraine, tell me?

I will answer. Russia’s leadership feels like colonizers – as in ancient times. They need our wealth and our people. Russia has already deported tens of thousands of our citizens to its territory. Then there will be hundreds. It abducted more than two thousand children. Simply abducted thousands of children. And continues to do so. Russia wants to turn Ukrainians into silent slaves.

The Russian militaries are openly looting the cities and villages they have captured. This is looting of the highest scale. They steal everything from food to gold earrings they just rip out with blood.

We are dealing with a state that turns the right of veto in the UN Security Council into a right to kill.

Which undermines the whole architecture of global security.

Which allows evil to go unpunished and spread the world. Destroying everything that can work for peace and security.

If this continues, the finale will be that each state will rely only on the power of arms to ensure its security, not on international law, not on international institutions.

Then, the UN can simply be dissolved.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Are you ready for the dissolving of the UN? Do you think that the time of international law has passed?

If your answer is no, you need to act now, act immediately.

The power of the UN Charter must be restored immediately.

The UN system must be reformed immediately so that the right of veto is not a right to kill. So that there is a fair representation of all regions of the world in the Security Council.

The aggressor must be forced to peace immediately. Determination is needed. The chain of mass killings from Syria to Somalia, from Afghanistan to Yemen and Libya should have been stopped a long time ago to be honest.

If tyranny had ever received such a response to the war it had unleashed that it would have ceased to exist and a fair peace would have been guaranteed after it, the world would have changed for sure.

And then, perhaps, we would not have a war, a war in my country. Against our nation, the Ukrainian nation. Against people.

But the world watched and did not want to see the occupation of Crimea, or even before – the war against Georgia, or even earlier – the alienation from Moldova of the entire Transnistrian region. It also didn’t want to see how Russia was preparing the ground for other conflicts and wars near its borders.

How to stop it?

Immediately bring the Russian military and those who gave them orders to justice for war crimes in Ukraine.

Everyone who gave criminal orders and fulfilled them by killing people will face a tribunal similar to the Nuremberg trials.

I want to remind Russian diplomats that a man like von Ribbentrop has not avoided punishment after World War II.

And I also want to remind the architects of Russia’s criminal policy that punishment has reached Adolf Eichmann as well.

None of the culprits will escape. No one.

But the main thing is that today is the time to transform the system, the core of which is the United Nations. To do this, we propose to convene a global conference. And we ask to do it already in peaceful Kyiv – in order to decide.

How we will reform the world security system.

How we will really guarantee the inviolability of universally recognized borders and the integrity of states.

How we will ensure the rule of international law.

It is now clear that the goals set in San Francisco in 1945 during the creation of a global international security organization have not been achieved. And it is impossible to achieve them without reforms.

Therefore, we must do everything in our power to pass on to the next generations an effective UN with the ability to respond preventively to security challenges and thus guarantee peace.

Prevent aggression and force aggressors to peace. Have the determination and ability to punish if the principles of peace are violated.

There can be no more exceptions, privileges. Everyone must be equal. All participants in international relations. Regardless of economic strength, geographical area and individual ambitions.

The power of peace must become dominant. The power of justice and the power of security. As humanity has always dreamed of.

Ukraine is ready to provide a platform for one of the main offices of the updated security system.

Just as the Geneva office specializes in human rights, just as the Nairobi office specializes in the field of environmental protection, the Kyiv U-24 Office can specialize in preventive measures to maintain peace.

I want to remind you of our peaceful mission in Afghanistan. When, at our own expense, we Ukrainians evacuated more than a thousand people from this country. And it was the hottest phase. But people needed help – and Ukraine came. Just like other states.

We evacuated people of different nationalities, different faiths. Afghans, citizens of European countries, USA, Canada. We did not distinguish who needs help, whether these are our people or not. We saved everyone.

If every time there was a need everyone in the world was confident that help would come, the world would be definitely safer.

Therefore, Ukraine has the necessary moral right to propose a reform of the world security system.

We have proven that we help others not only in good times, but also in dark times.

And now we need decisions from the Security Council. For peace in Ukraine. If you do not know how to adopt this decision, you can do two things.

Remove Russia as an aggressor and a source of war from blocking decisions about its own aggression, its own war. And then do everything that can establish peace.

Or show how you can reformat and really work for peace.

Or if your current format is unalterable and there is simply no way out, then the only option would be to dissolve yourself altogether.

I am convinced that you can do without the third option.

Ukraine needs peace. We need peace. Europe needs peace. The world needs peace.

And finally, I’m asking you to watch the video. A short one.

A video of what has come to replace your power because someone alone can abuse his rights.

This is what impunity leads to.

If possible – watch this video. Because there is no opportunity for everyone to come to us and see it. So watch it.

Thank you.