Day 32 of the war. Address of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Ukrainians

Strong people of our strong country, today is the day when it is proven again and again how far we are from the Russian Federation; imagine, there in Moscow they are in an uproar over my interview with Russian journalists, those among them who can afford to tell the truth. When the journalists were already preparing to publish our interview, we spoke with them, and today the Russian censorship agency came out with threats. They wrote exactly that, demanding the cancellation of the publication of the conversation. It would be funny if it weren't so tragic. They destroyed freedom of speech in their own state, they are trying to destroy a neighboring state, they portray themselves as a global player, and yet they are afraid of a relatively short conversation with a few journalists.

Well, if there is such a reaction, it means we are doing everything correctly, it means they are nervous. Perhaps they saw that their citizens are having more and more questions about the state of affairs in their state.

A maximum contrast: my conversation with our favorite Ukrainian television journalists; I held a Zoom conference with almost five hundred of our media workers who create the telethon United News. I am grateful to them once again. Although we were limited in time, we still spoke quite thoroughly; it is felt that everyone cares about Ukraine, cares about us, cares about our future. I noted many questions and suggestions for myself.

We will definitely all work on them. Today, I also supported a global marathon for peace in Ukraine. Not only a television one, by the way, but also in dozens of cities around the world. People gathered in support of our state—it's pleasant—in support of freedom. An impressive number of people in the squares of Europe and other continents. And this is extremely important because when people are in the square, politicians will no longer pretend that they supposedly do not hear, do not hear us, do not hear Ukraine.

I continue to appeal to parliamentarians of other countries. The week is planned to be very intense from a diplomatic point of view. So no one will be able to hide Ukrainian interests somewhere in political offices or in bureaucratic loopholes. We will not let anyone forget about our cities, forget about Mariupol and other Ukrainian cities that the Russian military are simply destroying. More and more people in the world are on the side of Ukraine, on the side of good in this battle with evil. If politicians somewhere are not following the people, we will teach them. This is the basis of democracy of our national character.

I want to thank our people in Kherson, in Kakhovka, in Slavutych, and other cities again, who do not stop resisting the occupiers. If the occupiers have temporarily entered Ukrainian cities, it only means that they will have to leave. And to those phenomenal fools who try to cooperate with the Russian military, I want to remind them that they abandon even their own.

What will they do with foreign traitors? I would tell them: think, but I know that such people have nothing to think with, otherwise they would not have become traitors.

Of course, we will work this week for new sanctions against the Russian Federation against the aggression, which are needed as long as Russian troops remain on the territory of Ukraine. Ahead is a new round of negotiations, because we are seeking peace, realistically, without delay. As I was informed, there is an opportunity and a need for a face-to-face meeting already on the territory of Turkey.

That is not bad; we will see the result; our priorities in the negotiations are known. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine are not subject to doubt; effective security guarantees for our state are mandatory; and our goal is obvious—peace and, as quickly as possible, the restoration of normal life in our native state.

The armed forces of our state are holding back the occupiers, and in some directions they are even making steps forward—well done. The bravery of our defenders, the wisdom with which they behave on the battlefield, is so important that no words of gratitude will simply be enough. But again and again, I do not tire of thanking, thanking every one of our defenders, every one of our female defenders, everyone who is fighting for a future for you and me, for our children, for our people.

I signed decrees on awarding the title of Hero of Ukraine to 15 military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, three of them posthumously. And also a decree on honoring with state awards 142 military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and 5 military personnel of the Main Directorate of State Security of Ukraine. Signing, you know, such decrees is, to be honest, a great honor for me. Eternal memory to all our heroes, eternal memory to everyone who gave their life for Ukraine, for us; glory to you all, glory to all our heroes, glory to Ukraine!