Day 45 of the war. Address of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Ukrainians

Free peoples, of a brave country! Today it was a great honor for me, on your behalf, on behalf of all Ukrainians, to welcome in our capital on Bankova an honest friend of Ukraine, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Boris Johnson. His visit to our state demonstrates maximum scientific, there are no obstacles for freedom, there are no obstacles for leadership. Boris was among those who did not hesitate for a single minute whether to support Ukraine.

Great Britain's leadership in providing our state with the necessary assistance, primarily defense, as well as leadership in sanctions policy, will forever be in history. In the history of the defense of democracy, in the history of the defense of Europe. Ukraine will always be grateful for this, both to Boris and to Britain.

Today Boris came to Kyiv also with a new package of financial and defense support for Ukraine. I also discussed with him new sanctions steps that are needed to force Russia to peace. The task of our anti-war coalition is quite clear: to end this war, which Russia started, more quickly. To liberate our land from the occupiers and guarantee security for Ukraine, and therefore, the security of democracy and the freedom of peoples in Eastern Europe.

That is why it is not just a moral obligation of all democratic states, of all the forces of Europe—to support Ukraine's aspiration for peace. It is the own defense strategy for every civilized state—to pressure Russia. As much as possible, so as to restore peace as quickly as possible. Peace and security. To return the power of international law as quickly as possible and stop the catastrophe of the application of the right of force.

A catastrophe that will inevitably hit everyone. Because Russian aggression was not intended to be limited only to one Ukraine, only to the destruction of our freedom and our lives. The entire European project is the target for the Russian Federation. I was pleased to hear today from the Chancellor of Austria, Karl Nehammer, assurances that for the Austrian state, forcing Russia to peace is just as fundamental as it is for other responsible states. I heard a promise that Austria, together with its partners in the European Union, will continue the sanctions policy against Russia until the full restoration of real security in our region takes place.

Until Russia withdraws all its forces from Ukrainian sovereign territory. The Chancellor of Austria supported, in response to my question, a clear perspective for Ukraine's joining the European Union as quickly as possible. And separately, I want to thank Mr. Nehammer for the transfer to Ukraine of fire and rescue vehicles, other equipment, as well as for fuel assistance.

Also today, there is important news from Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and from the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau. Within the framework of the global campaign Stand Up for Ukraine initiated by them, they managed to collect more than 10 billion US dollars to help our people, for Ukrainians who were forced to leave their homes because of Russia's war against Ukraine.

Thank you to everyone, thank you to each person who joined the collection of these funds.

That is, today was a truly fruitful day for Ukraine, for our diplomacy. And this is already the 45th day of our defense against the Russian invasion. Did they think in Moscow that on the 45th day after their invasion, such events would take place in Kyiv? No, they could not even imagine it. And we made it a reality. We all together, every Ukrainian man, every Ukrainian woman, who on February 24 and forever chose courage.

Chose Ukraine, chose freedom and the future.

In all international negotiations, in all contacts with world leaders during these 45 days, I always raise three topics. 1. Concrete assistance to our defense. 2. Concrete assistance to our people. 3. Concrete security guarantees for our state, which will certainly win in this confrontation.

Of course, I do not hear concrete answers to my concrete questions from everyone, but every day there is more and more positivity for Ukraine. However, not yet so much more that the end dates of this war could already be accurately determined. Russia can still afford to live in illusions and draw new military forces and new equipment onto our land. This means that even more sanctions are needed, even more weapons for our state. By the way, Boris Johnson was very concrete today in his answers to my questions, as always. And we have already decided with him what assistance Great Britain will provide for the postwar recovery of Ukraine.

The British are ready to take sponsorship over the recovery of Kyiv and the Kyiv region.

Among the priority tasks for our diplomacy, for all contacts with our partners, is the introduction of more painful restrictions on the Russian Federation's monetary flows. Above all, this concerns the oil business. The democratic world can certainly give up Russian oil and make it toxic for all other states. Oil is one of two sources of Russian overconfidence and their sense of impunity. The other source, gas, will also be shut off over time. This is simply inevitable. Not only for security reasons, but also for ecological reasons.

But Ukraine has no time to wait. Freedom has no time to wait. When tyranny began aggression against everything upon which peace in Europe rested, it is necessary to act immediately. It is necessary to act fundamentally. And an oil embargo must be the first step. Moreover, at the level of all democratic states, of the entire civilized world.

Then Russia will feel it. Then it will be an argument for them to seek peace, to stop the senseless violence.

And one more piece of news for today. Long-awaited for many of our people. One of our main shrines will return to Ukraine. One of the most revered shrines of Saint Sophia of Kyiv. The icon of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker. This is the first miraculous icon of Russia. We worked for a long time to return it. It was taken out of Ukraine during the Second World War. And in due time, it will be home in Holy Sophia. Grateful for this decision to the hierarchs of the clergy and the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA.

I want the return of this shrine to become an important symbol for all of us. A fundamental symbol. A symbol that we will return everything of ours to Ukraine. Everything Ukrainian. We will return all our people. And we will certainly return justice, our full control over our land. Thank you to all our friends. Grateful to all our heroes. Glory to Ukraine!