“All that is needed to protect life in the modern war should be produced in Europe in full. Europe has everything you need. Europe just has to unite and start acting so that no one can say to Europe “no”, command it or treat it as with low power.”, – WRITE: www.president.gov.ua
Thank you very much! Thank you very much!
Thank you for your words! Thank you for your support! Thank you for the invitation.
Dear ladies and gentlemen!
At the beginning of the conference, each country is usually shared by its position, priorities – officially, openly, or in an informal conversation with journalists, with partners.
And this year, the country, which was not even invited, still declared its presence. The country that everyone is talking about here is not in the best sense.
This year, the night before Munich, a Russian shock drone struck a sarcophagus that covers the destroyed fourth reactor of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
It was a modified drone “Shahaned” – a Russian drone, the technology of which was handled by Iran. His warhead carried at least 50 kilograms of explosives.
And we view it as an extremely symbolic step from Russia, from Putin.
Only recently in Ukraine have we discussed the decisive role of nuclear energy in ensuring the life of the country despite Russia’s constant attacks on our Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Now we are preparing a project to expand our Khmelnytsky nuclear power plant – just a day before Munich I was there at the station – with the participation of American business, including Westinghouse. This project will strengthen the energy security of not only Ukraine but of our European region.
We also recently spoke with President Trump and his team of nuclear energy and the largest nuclear power plant in Europe – our Zaporozhye NPP, which Russia is now occupied.
And Russia replied by sending a drone to hit the Chernobyl sarcophagus, where radioactive dust and debris are stored.
And this is not some madness. This is Russia’s position.
The country that causes such blows does not want peace. No. Does not want. She is not preparing for dialogue.
Almost every day, Russia directs us up to hundreds, or even more “Shahmed”. Daily. And regularly attacks ballistic missiles. And constantly increases the number of air strikes. But that’s not all.
This year, Moscow plans to create 15 new divisions, increasing to 150 thousand soldiers. This is more than the national armies of the overwhelming majority of European countries.
Russia opens new conscription points weekly. And Putin can afford it – oil prices are still high enough so that he can ignore the world.
And we have clear intelligences that this summer Russia plans to send troops to Belarus under the pretext of exercises. But that’s how they unfolded the troops before a full -scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago.
Are these Russian forces appointed in Belarus to attack Ukraine?
Perhaps. Or maybe not. Or maybe they are for you.
Let me remind me: Belarus borders with three NATO countries. It actually became a bridgehead for Russian military operations.
According to both Putin and Lukashenko, the forbidden weapons – medium -range missiles and even nuclear weapons – are now located in Belarus.
It is obvious that Putin views Belarus as another Russian province.
And we have to be realist – if someone creates a military bridgehead, we have to ask: what do we do with it?
And what is more important: what can we do before the next attack, the next invasion?
Remember that there were already provocations related to the migration crisis on the Polish and Lithuanian borders with Belarus, which was staged by Russian intelligence to sow chaos in Europe.
But what about migrants will not be migrants next time? What how will Russian troops be? Or North Korean troops?
Do not make false conclusions – the northern Koreans are not weak. Now they learn to fight, to wage a modern war.
What about your armies? Are they ready?
And if Russia starts surgery under someone else’s flag or simply without distinctive signs from the territory of Belarus, how was it with Crimea in 2014, how quickly do the Allies respond? And do they react at all?
Yesterday, in Munich, the US Vice president clearly made it clear that decades, decades of former relations between Europe and America, end. From now on, everything will be different, and Europe has to adapt to it.
Ladies and gentlemen!
I believe in Europe. And I’m sure you believe too. And I urge you to act for yourself and for the sake of Europe, the peoples of Europe, your nations, your homes, your children and our common future. To do this, Europe should become self -sufficient – united common force, Ukrainian and European.
Now the Ukrainian army thanks to the world support – we sincerely thank it – it restrains Russia. But if not, who will stop them? Really! Let us be honest: now we cannot reject the possibility that America can say no “to Europe about the challenges that threaten it.
Many, many leaders have said that Europe needs its own armed forces, the army – the Army of Europe.
And I really believe that this time has come. It is necessary to create the armed forces of Europe.
This is not more difficult than decisively resisting Russian attacks, as we do.
But it is not only about increasing defense costs as a proportion of GDP. Money, of course, is needed, but the money in themselves will not stop the enemy offensive. People and weapons are not given for nothing, but again, it is not just a budget. It is about people aware of the need to defend their own home.
Without the Ukrainian army, European armies will not be enough to stop Russia. These are the realities of today. Only our army in Europe has a real, modern combat experience.
But one of our army is not enough. And we need what you can give. Weapon. Teaching. Sanctions. Financing. Political pressure. And unity.
Three years of a full -scale war have proven that we already have the basis for the united European Armed Forces. And now, when we are running this war and laying the principles of peace and security, we must build the armed forces of Europe.
For the future of Europe to depend only on Europeans and the decisions on Europe to be made in Europe.
That is why we are talking to European leaders and the United States about military contingents that can provide peace, not only in Ukraine but throughout Europe. And that is why we develop a joint production of weapons, especially drones. Above all.
For example, the Danish model of joint investment in the production of weapons in our country is already working well, very, very, very successful. Only last year Thanks to the efforts of Ukrainians and partners, we have produced more than 1.5 million drones of different types. Ukraine is today the world leader in the use of drones in hostilities. This is our success. But it is also your success. Certainly. And everything we build for our defense in Ukraine strengthens your safety. This should be about artillery, air defense, technologies, and armored vehicles.
All that is needed to protect life in the modern war should be produced in Europe in full. Europe has everything you need. Europe just has to unite and start acting so that no one can say to Europe “no”, command it or treat it as with low power.
It is not only about the accumulation of weapons. It is about jobs, technological leadership and economic force for Europe.
Last autumn, in my plan, I proposed to replace part of the American contingent in Europe with Ukrainian troops – of course, if Ukraine is in NATO. If the Americans decide to go this path and reduce their presence – it is, of course, not good, it is very dangerous, but we all have to be ready for it in Europe. And I started talking about it before the US elections, as I saw where American politics was moving. But America has to see where Europe is moving.
And this area of European policy should not only be multifaceted – it should cause in America the desire to be near in strong Europe. This is absolutely possible. I am sure of that.
And we have to form this course, Europe has to determine its future itself.
We need confidence in our own strength so that the rest does not have a different choice but to respect European force. And without the European army it is impossible.
I repeat again: Europe needs its own armed forces.
And I know, I know that Mark Rutte, my good friend, now listens to me. Mark, friend, is not about replacing the alliance.
It is about making Europe’s contribution to our partnership equal to America’s contribution.
And we need the same approach when it comes to diplomacy: to work together for peace.
Ukraine will never agree to the agreements concluded after our back, without our participation. And this rule should be applied to all of Europe.
No decisions on Ukraine without Ukraine. No decisions on Europe without Europe. Europe must take place at the table when decisions on Europe are made. Everything else is nothing. If we stay out of negotiation about our own future, then we all lose.
See what Putin is trying to do now. It’s his game. Putin wants to talk with America Tet-a-Tet-just as before the war, when they met in Switzerland and seemed to be about to divide the world.
Further, Putin will try to ensure that the US President stands on Red Square on May 9 this year, not as a respectable leader, but as a mass in his performance.
We don’t need it.
We need true success. We need a real peace.
Some in Europe may not fully understand what is happening in Washington now.
But let us focus on understanding ourselves here in Europe.
First, we have to give the strength to Europe.
Does Europe need America? Like the sales market – yes. But how is an ally? I don’t know.
For the answer to be “yes”, Europe needs a single voice, not a dozen individual votes.
Even those who regularly come to Mar-A-Hall should be part of a strong Europe, because President Trump does not like weak friends. He respects power.
Further.
Some in Europe may feel dissatisfied with Brussels. But let us be honest: if not Brussels, Moscow. This is your solution. This is geopolitics. It’s a story.
Moscow will break Europe into parts, if we, Europeans, will not trust each other.
A few days ago, President Trump told me about his conversation with Putin. He never mentioned that America needed Europe at this table. It says a lot. The old days when America supported Europe simply because it always did it, passed.
But President Trump once said, it is not important the family you were born in, but the one you built. We have to build as close relations with America as possible – and so, new relationships – but as Europeans, not just as individual nations.
That is why we need a single foreign policy – coordinated diplomacy – foreign policy of common Europe. And let the end of this war be our first common success in this new reality.
And we are already working to ensure that on February 24, on the third anniversary of a full -scale invasion of Russia, we can gather together in Kiev live and online. All European leaders. All key partners who protect our safety. From Spain to Finland. From the United Kingdom to Poland. From Washington to Tokyo.
This meeting should give a clear vision of our next steps towards peace, security guarantees and the future of our common policy.
And I do not believe in safety without America – yes, they will be just weak.
But America will not guarantee if Europe itself has no strong guarantees.
I will also not remove the issue of Ukraine’s membership in NATO on the agenda.
But now Putin seems to be the most influential member of NATO, because his praises are able to block NATO’s decisions. And this despite the fact that it was the Ukrainian army that stopped Russia – not NATO country, not NATO troops, but only our people and our army.
Foreign armies are not fighting on the side of Ukraine in this war. But Putin lost almost 250,000 soldiers in this war. More than 610 thousand were injured.
Only in the Battle did our troops destroy nearly 20,000 Russian soldiers. We completely destroyed the North Korean units that Putin was forced to introduce because his own forces were not enough to restrain our counter -offensive. For over half a year, Ukrainians have held positions in the Russian territory, although it was Russia who wanted to create a buffer zone on our land, in Ukraine.
I am proud of Ukraine. I am proud of our people.
But now I ask you – each of you – honestly answer this question: if Russia came to you, could your army be fighting the same?
I do not want someone to find it someday – God forbid. That’s why we are talking about security guarantees. And that is why we believe that NATO membership should be the basis of any security guarantees for Ukraine. Or, if not, the conditions that will allow us to build another NATO right here in Ukraine.
Because at some point there will be a boundary between war and peace. Where this limit will be drawn and how strong it will be depends on us. My proposal: the eastern border of Ukraine, the eastern border of Belarus, the eastern borders of the Baltic countries, the eastern border of Finland. It is the strongest security line for all of us in Europe because it is an international law.
And do we remember what international law is?
Let us be honest: “International law” – these two words already sound somewhat outdated.
But I think the mission of Europe is to make international law still matter.
And finally – the last point.
What security guarantees can Putin offer?
Many people doubted before the war would be able to Attachment to withstand the pressure of Russia and Putin.
But, after all, it was Putin who encountered an internal armed uprising.
It was he who had to defend his capital from his commanders.
One is already indicative of its weakness.
So what about a million Russian soldiers who are now fighting in Ukraine?
Where will they fight, if not in Ukraine?
That is why we cannot simply agree to a ceasefire without real security guarantees, without pressure on Russia, without the system of restraining Russia.
To fight us, Putin pulled troops from Syria, from Africa, from the Caucasus, even from a part of Moldova. And now he is faced with a lack of combat forces.
And if this war is not over as it should, it will have a surplus proven in the battles of soldiers who can do nothing but kill and loot.
And this is another reason why the fate of this war can only identify a few leaders: neither Trump and Putin, nor I and Putin, nor anyone here in Munich, alone with Putin.
We have to press together to reach a real peace.
Putin cannot offer real security guarantees. Not only because he is a liar, but also because Russia is in its current state to war to keep power. And the world must be protected from it.
So, first, Europe’s armed forces as a NATO renewal.
Second, a common European foreign policy.
Third, the level of European cooperation that Washington should be taken seriously.
Fourth, international law.
Fifth, the continuation of pressure on Russia, because peace guarantees this pressure, not Putin’s words, not just some papers.
Putin is lying. It is predictable. And he is weak.
We have to use this – now, not then.
And we must act as Europe, not as a bunch of individuals.
Some say that the New Year is not January 1, but during the Munich Conference on Security.
This New Year begins now, and let it be the year of Europe – a united, strong, safe and peaceful. Peace for Ukraine. Peace for Europe. Peace for the whole world. For all your families.
Thank you very much!
Glory to Ukraine!
