Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the politicians and people of Denmark

Speaker 2

Welcome everyone to this very important event. Mr. President, you have the floor.

Speaker 1

Mr. Speakers, Madam Prime Minister, members of the government and the Folketing, Danish people, 40 missiles. Every day, exactly that many different but equally deadly missiles are used by Russian troops against our state, against Ukraine. This is the average level per day, 40. More than 1,370 missiles have already been used in a little over a month of Russia's full-scale invasion of our land. This morning, Russian missiles struck one of our southern cities – Mykolaiv, the city of shipbuilders. An absolutely peaceful city, which dreamed of only one thing – to regain its fame as a center of shipbuilding on the Black Sea. As a result of this strike, the regional administration building was destroyed. At this time, it is known that 7 people died and 22 people were wounded. The clearance of the rubble continues. The people of Mykolaiv had no militaristic dreams. They posed no threat to Russia. But they, like all others, believe me, Ukrainians, became targets for Russian troops, for missiles, aerial bombs, rocket artillery, and mortars. The total number of weapons of destruction that the Russian troops have already used against our people on our land is simply impossible to count. But it can be said that the intensity and cruelty of the hostilities waged against us have reached a level even higher than it was during the Second World War. The most destructive war for Europe. A month of hostilities. And we already have not one city, not two, but a whole black list of cities that have been severely destroyed by Russian bombings. In dozens more cities, towns, small villages, there are partially burned residential areas, destroyed infrastructure, and blown-up enterprises where people worked. Living, ordinary people. Just educational institutions – universities, schools, kindergartens – 773 have been destroyed, imagine that, and also dozens of hospitals, churches, and even memorials. The victims of the Holocaust became targets. The goal of the Russian troops in this war is to completely destroy any basis for the normal life of the Ukrainian people. The occupiers are deliberately acting so that nothing living remains of Ukraine. Only ruins, only refugees.

Speaker 2

Already

Speaker 1

More than 10 million Ukrainians left their homes due to hostilities. Almost 4 million Ukrainians left the borders of our state. For the most part, these are women and children. The story of these people is full of horror. In those areas where the Russian military entered, there are still many burnt, wrecked cars on the roadsides. Hundreds and hundreds of such remains. The occupiers killed civilians even when they were simply trying to save themselves. Among our displaced persons in Europe and in the western regions, there are children who were simply picked up along the way near the bodies of their parents. In our city of Mariupol, which has been blocked by Russian troops for more than three weeks, up to 100 thousand people still remain. While there was snow, people melted it and obtained water that way. All this time, we have been unable to deliver humanitarian cargo to the city; they are simply blocked. Water, food, medicines—everything is blocked by the Russian military. More than 90% of all buildings in Mariupol

Speaker 2

completely destroyed by shelling and bombs.

Speaker 1

But Russian aviation continues to carry out airstrikes without stopping, they deliberately blow up even shelters where they know for certain that civilians are hiding, where women, children, and elderly people are hiding. What the Russian troops are doing to Mariupol is a crime against humanity, which is being committed literally in a live broadcast before the eyes of the entire planet. Why did this become possible at all? Why can't the world stop this stream of war crimes by Russia, which

Speaker 2

not

Speaker 1

…is being exhausted since February 24 of this year? The answer is very simple and cynical. The people who make decisions in Russia hope that this too will go unpunished. They think they will be able to bypass sanctions. Regarding the embargo on Russian oil, they see that it is still going nowhere, remaining nothing more than just talk on this important topic. And concerned, constantly concerned. The International Tribunal knows that years are needed to bring specific perpetrators to justice. Therefore, we appeal to you and to the entire democratic community of the world. Sanctions against Russia must be strengthened. Constantly. Russian oil must be abandoned. Trade with the RF must be blocked. Ports must be closed to Russian vessels. And this must be a solidary policy of the European Union. All member states. All of them. It is you in Denmark, in the country from which the basic principles of the European Union originate. The Copenhagen criteria. You can feel most of all how important it is for pan-European solidarity in pressuring Russia to work. Because this pressure is so that Russia seeks peace. This is pressure to provide the necessary protection to all those basic values on which life in Europe is built, which are now completely trampled by Russia in Ukraine. What can be said about the protection of human rights or about freedom on the European continent, if there is no crime against people and humanity in general that the occupiers have not committed? They deport our people to the territory of Russia by force, rape women, underage girls, and engage in looting. They have already taken more than 2,000 children to Russia and we do not know where they are. We do not even have a full list of these children, or whether they have families. How will they later find their relatives, their loved ones? The level of evil brought to our land would be simply impossible for a normal person to imagine. And therefore, I call upon you at the level of the European Union to raise the issue of solidarity in the protection of freedom, in the protection of humanity. There cannot be branches of Russia in Europe that split the EU from within, that try to help Russia earn as much money as possible even now. Everyone knows perfectly well who in the EU opposes humanity and common sense.

Speaker 2

Who

Speaker 1

does absolutely nothing to help establish peace in Ukraine. This must stop. And Europe must stop listening to any excuses from the officials in Budapest. I am grateful to Denmark for its principled stance. Thank you to everyone. Grateful to your people who help Ukraine and help Ukrainians. To your companies that decided to leave the Russian markets. Maersk, Yusk, Lego, Vestas, DSV, Arla Foods, Carlsberg, and many. Many other companies that made this important decision. But I ask you not to stop, to be leaders in Europe in promoting solutions that are truly necessary for all of us. Long before this war, it was obvious that humanity must reduce the use of fossil fuels. The era of coal and oil has caused very serious damage to the environment and to our planet as a whole. Green technologies and green energy have become a logical and fair response to this challenge. European policy is already aimed at reducing the consumption of environmentally hazardous resources. But Russian aggression against Ukraine and against everything upon which life in Europe is built is an argument for accelerating the green transformation on the continent. Europe must give up Russian oil, give it up as quickly as possible, because it is the insane income from energy resources that allows the leadership of Russia to be arrogant. To violate generally recognized rules, promote hatred against other peoples, against us, and destroy the lives of neighboring countries. If it were necessary to find a complete opposite to what is called the Law of Jante in your country, it would be the law of Russian oil. I

Speaker 2

confident,

Speaker 1

that we together, only together with all Europeans, with all responsible states on the planet, will be able to overcome this catastrophe. We will be able to return to peace, we will be able to live together in the European family. I hope that this will happen very soon, but it depends on how consistent and principled we remain during this difficult time. In a time when the war continues. However, we do not have the right to think only about the war now. We know that there will be peace. We know that we will be able to return to a normal peaceful life. And therefore, already now, I want to invite you to join our initiative for the reconstruction of Ukraine. After the war, after our victory, we invite your company, your specialists, your state. Knowing your potential, your creative and economic power, I propose that your country take patronage over one of our beautiful regions. After the war, and indeed after the war, Mykolaiv, the city of Korobiliv can become such a city, such a region, which will unite us with you even more, which Denmark can help restore. Ladies and gentlemen, Danish people, there are dark times in Ukraine now; thousands of candles are lit in our churches in memory of the people whose lives were taken by this war. I know that for you, the warm light of candles is a synonym for home comfort, for a normal, good human life. A life which today in Ukraine has become an unfulfilled dream for many; the Russian invasion continues. But I believe, I know that we will be able to return to peace. I ask you today at home, in the evening, to light a candle in memory of all Ukrainians whose lives were taken by Russian aggression; eternal memory to all who gave their lives for our freedom, for world freedom. Glory to Ukraine!