"We are doing everything to keep the world's maximum attention to Ukraine and our needs!" Address by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky

16.05.2022 13:01

Photo by president.gov.ua

The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the people, talking about the importance of maintaining the world's attention to our country and preparing to repel Russia's new offensive in the Donbas. 

"Ukrainians! Ukrainians!

All our defenders!

The 81st day of our defense is coming to an end and another week of round-the-clock work for Ukraine and victory is beginning.

This week, as always, there will be a lot of international activity in which I will participate. The key is weapons and financial support for Ukraine. Finances - not only to maintain stability now, but also to begin rebuilding what was destroyed by Russia.

We are also working to strengthen sanctions against Russia. Partners need to make weekly decisions that limit Russia's ties to the world. The occupiers must feel the increase in the price of war for them, feel it constantly.

Now the priority is the oil embargo. No matter how hard Moscow tries to thwart this decision, the time of Europe's dependence on Russian energy resources is coming to an end. And this does not change.

Another task, which is becoming even more important as the war lasts longer, is to do everything possible to keep the world's maximum attention to us, to Ukraine. Information about our needs should be in the news of all countries that are important to us. Must be there constantly and every day.

In particular, for this purpose - for greater informational and political support of Ukraine - on Monday I will communicate with students of leading American universities. These are 63 US universities and two Canadian universities, which unite hundreds of thousands of students and are a large expert and research community. Their voice will definitely strengthen our capabilities. A separate address to Stanford University students is also planned for the end of May.

I am also preparing to communicate with Ukrainian students of the leading universities of our country. In my address to them, I will answer some important, complex questions that already exist in our society, which are already visible. And I expect deep questions from them, from our students.

I will definitely continue to address the parliaments of European partner countries of Ukraine. Our task is the status of a candidate for EU membership for Ukraine, and later - accession to the European Union under the fast-track procedure. Every state matters. Every vote counts. It is equally important to have the maximum consent of European countries to strengthen sanctions against Russia. That is why I will be addressing the Luxembourg Parliament in the near future.

By the way, we are also working to expand the geography of such special speeches in parliaments to Africa and Asia.

An address to the participants of the forum in Davos is scheduled for May 23. This year the conference will be especially important for our country. Post-war reconstruction will be discussed. We are doing everything we can to gain the world's support, and participating in the Davos Forum is one of the best opportunities for that.

We continue very difficult and delicate negotiations to save our people from Mariupol, from Azovstal. We deal with this issue on a daily basis. And most importantly, that the agreements were fulfilled.

We expect the United States to make important decisions for our country. A new significant package of support and detailed elaboration of the renewed historical land lease program.

We are preparing for new attempts by Russia to advance on Donbass, to somehow intensify its movement in the South of Ukraine. The occupiers still do not want to admit that they are in a dead end and that their so-called special operation has already gone bankrupt. But the moment will surely come when the Ukrainian people will press the invaders to their full recognition of reality.

No matter how "creative" they are in Kherson and Melitopol, no matter how they portray their alleged "power" in the occupied areas of the Azov and Donbass, their stay there is still temporary. There will still be the Ukrainian flag, Ukrainian law, Ukrainian life.

Today's Russian missile strikes on Lviv region, shelling of Huliaipil, Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, cities and communities of Donetsk region - all this brutality of the occupiers that Ukraine is experiencing every day, will only lead to the fact that Russian surviving Russian soldiers will take this evil back with them Russia.

They will take it away because they will retreat. This is how all the feverish activity of the Russian military, which we see now, will end. And I am grateful to all the Ukrainians who are approaching this time.

Eternal glory to all who defend the state!

Eternal memory to everyone, eternal memory to everyone who gave his life for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!"