Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (18/11/2022)

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 18 November 2022.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Today we have important international results.

Our export grain initiative has been extended. Despite all the difficulties, despite various manipulations by Russia, we will continue to export agricultural products through our Black Sea ports.

This is a very specific thing that makes the world see the importance of Ukraine. Since August 1, more than 450 ships have already left the ports of Great Odesa. The total amount of food is 11 million tons. The geography is very broad: Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Yemen, Lebanon, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Türkiye, as well as the countries of the European Union.

Tens of millions of people, primarily in African countries, have been saved from starvation, in particular by means of deliveries in the framework of the UN World Food Programme from our ports.

We also managed to reduce the pressure on the global food market. And this means that food prices are significantly lower than they would be without our food exports.

We have done everything to expand this work. And I thank all our partners who are helping: the UN and Secretary-General Guterres personally, Türkiye and President Erdoğan personally. Thanks to everyone in our team who is responsible for this direction. This is a truly important result.

Today, a meeting was held in the Office regarding our Grain from Ukraine initiative. We have the consent of such countries as Germany, Poland, Belgium, Japan, Türkiye and the USA to join the work of the initiative. But these are the countries that have already made up their mind. There will be more participating countries.

The meaning is very simple and as specific as possible. All the countries of the world, together with Ukraine, can ensure the supply of food for those in the world who suffer the most from food shortages. We will provide more details on how this will work shortly.

I believe that this Russian aggression should lead the whole world to an obvious conclusion: never again should there be mass famine in the world. If the world works in unity, famine will be defeated.

A very important decision was adopted today in the Netherlands. There is the first sentence for the murderers who destroyed the Malaysian Boeing in the sky over Donbas in 2014. Three men were sentenced to life imprisonment. And the day will surely come when they will begin to serve this punishment.

But this decision is not just about three murderers. Russia lied a lot about this catastrophe, but nevertheless the key facts were established. Now the perpetrators have been convicted and the basis is provided to convict the culprits of a higher level, too. Those who bear full personal responsibility for the crime of aggression against Ukraine – the original crime that gave rise to all the others committed by the Russists since 2014.

This is something without which it is impossible to protect the world from the repetition of such wars as Russian aggression against our state. When all the murderers and torturers are convicted, when their commanders and political “cover” face fair sentences, when Russia compensates for all the damage caused by Russian aggression, it will be a very solid foundation for a lasting peace.

We have all the possibilities to ensure this. Every Russian war crime, every terrorist attack of theirs will receive its legal response. Today’s decision in The Hague proves it.

The elimination of the consequences of another missile attack against Ukraine continues all day…

Again, there are emergency shutdowns in addition to planned, stabilization ones. Currently, more than 10 million Ukrainians are without electricity. Most of them are in the Vinnytsia region, Odesa region, Sumy region and Kyiv. We are doing everything to normalize the supply.

In Dnipro, dozens of people were injured as a result of a missile attack. Everyone is provided with aid.

In Zaporizhzhia, the clearance of the rubble of a residential building, which was destroyed by Russian shelling at night, continues… The list of the dead includes seven people. Unfortunately, this number may increase.

Only in the first half of today, our defense forces managed to shoot down six Russian cruise missiles and five Shaheds. Unfortunately, not all of those launched by terrorists.

We repeat to our partners again and again that only full protection of the Ukrainian sky will protect both Ukraine and Europe from many possible escalations of Russian aggression and will definitely encourage Russia to truly end the war. Not to the kind of propaganda that now sounds from the Kremlin about the alleged readiness for negotiations in order to buy some time and gather forces for a new offensive, but to real peace.

I would like to thank Finland and Sweden today for the decisions regarding the new defense assistance packages. This is very important. Each such decision of the states makes them co-creators of our victory and future peace.

Today I signed several decrees on awarding our warriors. 402 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were honored with state awards.

In total, since February 24, more than 32,000 Ukrainian men and women have been awarded for bravery in battles. 4950 of them – posthumously.

We must always remember how many people gave their lives to save Ukraine and freedom.

Eternal memory to all those whose lives were taken by Russian aggression!

Glory to all who gain victory for Ukraine!

Gratitude to everyone who helps us and works for the state!

Glory to Ukraine!