Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (13/09/2022) – 202 days

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 13 September 2022.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Today I held another meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. The participants, as before, are Reznikov, Zaluzhny, Syrsky, Kovalchuk, Litvinov, Yermak, Monastyrskyi, Kubrakov, Danilov, Lebid and others.

The first and most important issue is the reports of commanders by direction. Oleksandr Syrsky reported on the successes in the Kharkiv region, Andriy Kovalchuk – on the movement of our troops in the south.

We considered the draft budget for defense and security for the next year.

The situation in the liberated territory of our state was analyzed in detail. As of now, stabilization measures have been completed in the districts with a total area of more than 4,000 square kilometers. Stabilization continues in the liberated territory of approximately the same size. Remnants of occupiers and sabotage groups are being detected, collaborators are being detained and full security is being restored.

Border guards are tasked with protecting the state border in the liberated territory.

Once again, I thank all our fighters who ensured such a large-scale and quick defeat of the invaders in the territory of the Kharkiv region!

By the way, today I signed another decree on awarding our warriors. 153 combatants were awarded state awards, 12 of them posthumously. All – for bravery in the battles in the east of our country – in the Kharkiv region, in Donbas.

It is very important that together with our troops, with our flag, ordinary normal life comes to the de-occupied territory. As an example, in Balakliya, in Hrakove, the payment of pensions for five months at once, for the time when we simply could not make payments due to the occupation, has already been started. And all Ukrainian pensioners in the liberated territory will receive payments. Ukraine always fulfills its social obligations to people.

Today I held a meeting with the Defense Ministers of Denmark and Estonia who arrived in Kyiv. Of course, we talked about further support for our state, about further pressure on Russia. I thanked them for the principled and consistent help in protecting people’s freedom and life.

I held negotiations with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. I thanked her for the allocation of $1.4 billion in additional support for our state. We discussed a new program of cooperation and, in general, the preservation of Ukraine’s financial stability.

We have a result in our work on security guarantees for our state. Today, a package of recommendations was presented by the international group led by Andriy Yermak and Anders Fogh Rasmussen – these are the recommendations that should form the basis of the future system of security treaties that will give Ukrainians peace of mind and guarantee the prevention of any war against Ukraine.

We are working to ensure that the strongest subjects of the free world become guarantors of the security of our state. So that at the multilateral and bilateral level, it is stipulated in detail who, how and when should react in case of any threat to the state security of Ukraine. React with sanctions, arms supply, all the necessary material and financial support.

The main thing is clear and legally binding steps, specific and timely actions, in particular, preventive actions aimed at preventing war and cooling the aggressor’s intentions. That is, everything that our country did not have before and because of which Russia had the illusion it could go unpunished for the war against Ukraine.

Together with our partners, we have already built a powerful anti-war coalition, which includes dozens of different states. And now we are working to ensure that the most powerful states that are already helping us become a coalition of peace that will last forever.

I spoke today with Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi. I informed him about the situation on the frontline, about the successes of our state. We always note: in every victory of Ukraine there is also a victory of those who, together with us, defend freedom and European values. Italy is among the strongest.

Mr. Draghi and I discussed the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the Russian provocations in great detail. Thank you for understanding that the demilitarization of the ZNPP is a fundamental condition for the return of radiation safety to all of us in Europe.

I am grateful to everyone who helps our country expel the occupiers!

I am grateful to each of our warriors who do everything to bring victory closer!

Glory to Ukraine!