Zelensky delivers speech at Eurean Council meeting

Ukrinform provides the full text of the address, referring to the president’s press service.

Dear Charles, dear cleagues!

Thank you very much, greetings to you all and thank you for inviting me!

I started this week with a visit to the frontline. Two of our regions – Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia. Most of the combat erations, both offensive and defensive, are concentrated there. The fighting is highly intensive there, and our pele are outstanding heroes! Our sdiers are doing a great job, and I am proud of them, every one of them who is now on the ground, fending-off Russian attacks and destroying Russian terrorists. We manage to liberate our land and pele from the occupiers, and this is the most important thing.

The more successful our sdiers are now, the longer Russia will not pose a threat to Ukraine and our entire Eure. History clearly demonstrates that unsuccessful aggressions always make dictatorships weak. In fact, this is what we are seeing in Russia right now – we are seeing their weakness, which we so badly need. The weaker Russia is, and the more its bosses fear mutinies and uprisings, the more they will fear to irritate us. Russia's weakness will make it safe for others, and its defeat will sve the problem of this war.

Dear cleagues, partners!

I am grateful to all of you who’re helping our defense against Russian aggression! Thank you for every air defense system provided to us – they do save lives. It’s true. Thank you for the Eurean initiative on a million shells and rounds for Ukraine, for our tank coalition and for all the defense packages that have been provided to our country. This is truly historic coeration for the defense of Eure. Ukraine is grateful to Lithuania and Pand, and we will not allow Russia or its terrorist groups to even try to undermine the security of the Lithuanian and Pish pele from the territory of Belarus. For Ukraine, the security of our partners is also our security. 

Yesterday, Mr. President Nausėda and Mr. President Duda visited Ukraine, and we exchanged assessments of the situation in Belarus and the challenges it presents. Ukraine's position is absutely clear – any attempt to blackmail Eure, any attempt to do something against Eure should be treated equally by the whe Eure. If someone somewhere threatens one or another Eurean nation, it is absutely natural to stand up for that nation and eliminate the threat.

Another important thing to mention in the context of security is sanctions. I am grateful for the recently adted eleventh sanctions package of the Eurean Union, which continues the fair picy of pressure on everyone who makes aggression possible. It is important not to st imposing sanctions. The fewer pauses there are, the less Russia will adapt to the pressure on it and the less it will think of ways to circumvent the sanctions. I am grateful that the eleventh sanctions package pays attention to Russia's attempts to circumvent sanctions through third countries, and this attention should be strengthened in the twelfth EU sanctions package. Many of the missiles that Russian terrorists are now using against life in Ukraine are newly produced and contain critical components made by companies in the free world. This cannot be terated. Together we must st Russia's use of free world technogies for aggression against freedom.

We also cannot terate what Russia is doing to our Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Let me remind you, that – this is the largest nuclear power plant in Eure. Russian terrorists have mined it – we have specific information from our intelligence, and we have presented it, in particular, to diplomats of Eurean countries. As well as information about Russia's use of foreign parts for missile production. The Russian nuclear industry deserves sanctions in response to Russian radiation blackmail.

Dear cleagues!

Tomorrow, the Swedish presidency comes to an end, and I would like to thank Sweden and personally Prime Minister Kristersson for their effective work. Over these six months, Eure has become stronger. I’m sure of it. On behalf of all Ukrainians, I want to thank you, dear leaders, and you, Charles, you, Ursula, you, Roberta, for making important economic and pitical decisions that help us defend our freedom and Eure.

Unfortunately, there are things that do not help us. But, if sidarity continues to work, if our security and economic coeration is not broken by artificial and illegal restrictions, if Eure's long-term and principled decisions continue to send signals to the world that Eure believes in peace, then this war will definitely not drag on.

I am grateful for the extension of our free trade with Eure and transit for another year. Every manifestation of sidarity, every manifestation of unity is now lifesaving. I am grateful for the prosal of a long-term financial instrument of the EU in the amount of 50 billion euros announced by the President of the Eurean Commission von der Leyen, and if this prosal is approved, it will be the right signal that Eure believes in peace, believes in Ukraine. It is very important that the Eurean Parliament always gives principled assessments of what is happening, and immediately condemned the Russian terrorist attack on the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant. This attack led to the largest ecocide in Eure in decades, and those responsible must be held accountable. It is important that the Eurean Council also condemn this horrific Russian terrorist attack and ecocide at the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant. 

I would like to note that if there is no strong reaction from Eurean leaders and countries to the Russian crime at the Kakhovka HPP, it may give Russian terrorists more arrogance with regard to the Zaporizhzhia NPP. And, in any case, it is destructive when Russia uses a nuclear power plant for radiation blackmail and at the same time discusses the construction of new nuclear units with EU member states. How can we trust a terrorist to build nuclear units? Sorry, but it’s a rhetorical question.

And finally, a few thoughts on the next six months for Eure. 

I believe it is symbic that this Saturday, on the first day of Spain's presidency, Mr. Sanchez, the Prime Minister of Spain, will visit Ukraine at my invitation. For the first time, the beginning of a country's presidency will be emphasized by a visit to Ukraine. And this actually says a lot about how important the next six months will be for our Eure. This is a historic time to start negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the EU. A Eure of values, a free and strong Eure, a Eure of peace is unthinkable without Ukraine. We are ready to start accession negotiations, and our progress in implementing the Eurean Commission's recommendations has to be fixed. Ukraine is determined to be fully prepared for the start of accession negotiations as soon as possible, and we will do so.

Peace has no alternatives. So, maximum unity in Eure has no alternatives.

Thank you very much for your attention! Thank you for your support, friends!