Editor’s note: The following is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s nightly address to the nation as it appears in English on the presidential website:
Ukrainians!
Our defenders!
Today was a very meaningful foreign policy day for Ukraine. First, the Prime Ministers of Spain and Denmark, two countries that have consistently supported Ukraine, have arrived in Kyiv. Thank you.
The two leaders whose presence in Kyiv encourages other leaders of the democratic world to think about visits to Ukraine, about new gestures of support for our state, about concrete decisions that we need to win. I thanked them for helping our defense. For sanctions pressure on Russia.
I called on Spain, Denmark and all other European democracies to further strengthen sanctions for this war. To finally impose an oil embargo, to disconnect the entire banking system of Russia from the global financial system.
And to help us bring to justice all those guilty of war crimes against Ukrainians.
The Prime Minister of Denmark stated readiness to support the program of post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, in particular the reconstruction and development of Mykolaiv and the shipbuilding industry of Ukraine. Let me remind you that this is the direction of reconstruction I proposed when addressing the Parliament and the people of Denmark in March.
And today I addressed the Parliament and the people of Portugal. This was the 26th address to the parliaments of our partner states. I can say that each of these speeches really gives us additional support. Brings the decision to provide assistance to Ukraine, including defensive one, closer. And most importantly, each of these addresses helps establish a direct emotional connection between what we are experiencing in Ukraine and what the political class is experiencing in the partner countries.
I also addressed the participants of the special spring session of the World Bank today. This is one of the most important events for the heads of international financial institutions and finance ministers of leading states. We are accumulating financial support for Ukraine.
The United States has announced a new package of support for our state. We are grateful for that. This package contains very powerful defense tools for our military. In particular, it is artillery, shells, drones. This is what we expected.
I am grateful to the partners for their help and call for further acceleration of the supply of weapons to Ukraine so that we can bring peace closer.
In the south and east of our country, the occupiers continue to do everything to have a reason to talk about at least some victories. They are accumulating forces, driving new battalion tactical groups to our land. They are even trying to start the so-called mobilization in the occupied regions of Ukraine.
None of these steps will help Russia in the war against our state. They can only delay the inevitable – the time when the invaders will have to leave our territory. In particular Mariupol. A city that continues to resist Russia. Despite everything the occupiers say.
I urge the residents of the southern regions of Ukraine – Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions – to be very careful about what information you provide to the invaders. And if they ask you to fill out some questionnaires, leave your passport data somewhere, you should know – this is not to help you. Not just to carry out a “census” of people who live in a certain area, as they say. No. And not to give you any humanitarian aid. This is aimed to falsify the so-called referendum on your land, if an order comes from Moscow to stage such a show. And this is the reality. Be careful.
I want to say straight away: any “Kherson People’s Republics” are not going to fly. If someone wants a new annexation, it can only lead to new powerful sanctions strikes on Russia. You will make your country as poor as Russia hasn’t been since the 1917 civil war. So it is better to seek peace now.
Unfortunately, Russia rejected the proposal to establish an Easter truce. This shows very well how the leaders of this state actually treat the Christian faith, one of the most joyful and important holidays.
But we keep our hope. Hope for peace, hope that life will overcome death.
Tomorrow is Good Friday for Eastern Christians. The most sorrowful day of the year. A day when everything you can do in life will weigh less than prayer. Except for one… defending the Homeland, defending brothers-in-arms in battle.
A few minutes ago, before delivering this address, I signed another decree on awarding our heroes, our military. 202 defenders of Ukraine were awarded state awards. 194 servicemen of the Armed Forces and 8 servicemen of the State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection of Ukraine.
I am grateful to everyone who defends the state!
Eternal memory to all who died for Ukraine!
Glory to Ukraine!
