Day 1691 of the war. Address of Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the Ukrainians

Dear Ukrainians! Diplomacy is very active these days. Much support for Ukraine. Today I have already spoken with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, also with the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, with the Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk, with the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, and with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO. Today we also had talks with representatives of the Congress of the United States of America. I would like to thank everyone for a clear understanding of what is happening. Yesterday I also spoke with the Prime Minister of Britain, thank you, Andy, for the support, and spoke with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and Emmanuel is ready to help us, Ukraine.

I spoke with the Prime Minister of Norway, with Jonas, a great friend of Ukraine. There will be meetings and formats this week for the consolidation of support and coordination with other European leaders. There will be support packages for Ukraine, for Ukrainians. Everyone in Europe, many of our partners feel that strong steps are needed now. Separately and very specifically, we are working with the European Union to resolve financial issues, primarily for the sake of our defense, for the sake of budget stability.

We are preparing a solution; we are also preparing new steps in European integration. This provides significant political and moral support. I thank Ursula for the help and all European leaders. Of course, we in Ukraine are not losing contact with America at all levels. I thank all Americans who support us, Ukraine, who have supported us throughout all these years of war, who want Russia not to succeed in destroying us, our independence, and breaking the lives of other nations as well.

Our position has always been as transparent and honest as possible. Ukraine never wanted this war, not for a single second, let alone five years of full-scale war. We are ready to take all necessary steps to end the war. It is logical to cease fire and stop the war. It is logical to guarantee security so that the war cannot return again. Today there is a statement from the President of the United States that an energy ceasefire has been reached.

This is good news for everyone, it is important that this becomes part of reality. Ukraine supports all real and reliable formats for a ceasefire and the end of the war. Ukraine is ready not to strike Russian energy infrastructure and we count on a similar readiness from Russia and on the agreement of the President of the United States of America regarding this.

We welcome such an agreement; unfortunately, throughout today there were Russian Shaheds in the sky, there are Shaheds in the sky now as well, and there were strikes, unfortunately, by aerial bombs. And there were strikes on our energy sector; there was just a strike on TPP-5 in the city of Kharkiv, on Kharkiv's energy sector. In total, during this one week, the Russians have carried out more than 200 strikes on our power generation and transmission facilities in Ukraine.

There were another 17 strikes in a week on gas and oil facilities here in Ukraine. In this one week, the Russians killed more than 150 of our people and more than 700 people were wounded. Ukraine proposed many de-escalation steps. Putin said one thing to everything – it was his "no". We very much hope that he will finally say something else to America, Ukraine, and the whole world, something other than killings and deception.

Something that will lead to a real and dignified peace. Ukraine wants peace. The question is whether Russia does. The Armed Forces of Ukraine have received all relevant orders. We are defending Ukraine. We are fighting for support for Ukraine. We support all steps by partners that can help us. We await clear details of the dialogue between America and Russia. And also that Putin fulfills what President Trump said. Thank you to our warriors and everyone in the world who is with us, with Ukraine. Glory to Ukraine!