Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (26/10/2022)

The statement made by Volodymdr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 26 October 2022.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Today we had a very active diplomatic day, events for Ukraine at all levels – the highest, governmental, parliamentary.

In the morning, I addressed the participants of the Berlin conference, which is dedicated to the reconstruction and modernization of our country. This is already the second such conference, after the Swiss one, which took place in the city of Lugano. We are working to obtain resources for the rapid restoration of our infrastructure, social facilities, and housing for Ukrainians.

I am grateful to German Chancellor Scholz and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen for making today’s event in Berlin very meaningful. We are waiting for specific decisions. Time cannot be stopped, and winter is coming.

The Crimea Platform started working in Croatia today – at the parliamentary level.

This is an additional and very powerful level of functioning of our instrument for the deoccupation and reintegration of Crimea.

The Parliament always embodies democracy, represents different communities of each country. Therefore, when parliaments help restore territorial integrity, when, thanks to parliamentary cooperation, expert work and exchange of experience can be directed in the right direction, it is very powerful.

We will definitely liberate Crimea. We will return this part of our country not only to the all-Ukrainian space, but also to the all-European space. This was confirmed once again today. And I am grateful to all our partners – almost 50 states and international organizations – who help in the parliamentary format. I am also grateful to Croatia separately for the hospitality towards our Crimea Platform.

Today I held a meeting with representatives of the Jewish community – American, European and, of course, Israeli.

We talked primarily about the protection of our people, about the need to make Russian terror impossible and to end this war as soon as possible by guaranteeing complete security and freedom for all Ukrainians throughout the territory of Ukraine.

The sooner peace is achieved on our land thanks to the Ukrainian victory, the less evil Russia will bring to other regions, including the Middle East in its cooperation with Iran. I believe that one day Israeli politicians will hear this position, as Israeli society has already done – we feel it.

The protection of historical memory in Ukraine was discussed separately. Despite the war, we must continue to implement our programs that restore historical justice. We started the implementation of an important project commemorating the victims of Nazism – the construction of a memorial in Babyn Yar. We will definitely complete it.

I held extremely meaningful negotiations with the President of Germany, who arrived in Ukraine. Today, President Steinmeier visited the Chernihiv region – the districts that were under occupation. While he was there an air alert started. And actually the Russian missile terror, the enemy’s use of Iranian drones was one of the key topics at our negotiations.

We are deeply grateful to Germany for the modern and effective air defense system already provided to us. We are looking forward to new similar systems.

We discussed the entire range of our cooperation – defense, political, financial.

Significant attention was paid to reconstruction – and I am grateful to President Steinmeier for his willingness to personally patronize this work. We will enhance cooperation with Germany in the field of reconstruction. And at the local government level, it will also receive presidential patronage.

And one more thing.

Just before recording this address, I spoke with new British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. I believe that the partnership between our countries and the already traditional British leadership in the defense of democracy and freedom will be further strengthened.

Ukraine and Britain have achieved the best relations so far, but there is still potential to increase our cooperation to bring more benefits to our societies. I invited the Prime Minister to visit Ukraine.

I am grateful to everyone who helps us fight for freedom!

I am grateful to everyone who fights and works for our victory!

I am grateful to all our warriors who are now holding their positions, destroying the occupiers and giving Ukraine the most important feeling: a feeling of confidence in our future.

Glory to Ukraine!