Today at 16:24
Ladies and gentlemen, you know, in recent days I do not know how to greet you. Because I can’t say “Good morning,” or “Good afternoon,” or “Good evening.” Because every day is definitely not good for someone, every day is the last one for someone. I am talking about Ukraine’s citizens, who are defending our walls and freedom at the cost of their lives.
I am very glad that what I saw here is a unifying mood. I am glad that we have united all of you EU countries, but I did not know that at such a price. And this is a tragedy for me, a tragedy for every Ukrainian, a tragedy for every state.
You know, I do not read directly from the papers, as the papers in the life of my state are over. Everything is real, all these dead people, all this real life. And you know, I believe that today we give our lives for values, for rights, for freedom, just for the desire to be close, like you, like everyone else, we give our best people: strong, amazing Ukrainians.
We often like to say that we will win, and I am very glad that you are not only talking about it but also watching it. And we will definitely win, I’m sure of it. There is a motto: “Ukrainian choice of Europe.” This is what we wanted, what we go to. And I would very much like you to have “European Choice of Ukraine.”
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I have a few minutes to talk to you between the shellings and rocket attacks. This morning was tragic for all of us. Two cruise missiles targeted Kharkiv. The city, which is close to the Russian border, there have always been a lot of Russians and they have always been friends, we had warm relations. More than 20 universities are in Kharkiv; this city has the largest number of universities in our country. Young bright, smart people, who gather on the largest square in our country. The Freedom Square. And this is the largest square in Europe – the Freedom Square. Just imagine, in the morning, two cruise missiles hit the Freedom Square. Dozens of victims. This is the price of freedom.
We are just fighting for our land and our freedom, and believe me, despite the fact that all the big cities of our state are now blocked, no one will undermine our freedom and statehood. Trust me. Every square in every Ukrainian city is a Freedom Square today. Nobody will break us, we are strong, we are Ukrainians.
We want our children to live. It seems to me that it is a fairdesire. Yesterday 16 children died. Once again, President Putin will say that this is just a military operation and that Russia targets military infrastructure only. Where are our children? What military plants do they work at? On which rockets? Maybe they ride in tanks? You killed 16 children!
We have very motivated people. We are fighting for our rights – freedom and life. And now we are fighting for survival. This is our main motivation, but we are fighting to be equal members of Europe. And I think today we are all showing that we are. The EU will definitely be stronger together with us. Ukraine will be lonely without you. We have proven our strength that we are same as you. Prove that you are standing with us! Prove that you do not let us go, prove that you are truly Europeans, and then life will overcome death, and the peace will defeat the darkness!
