“We all understand that next year may be the year of the end of this war. We have to make it happen.”, — write: www.president.gov.ua
Thank you so much Kristen! Thank you very much for the invitation and the opportunity to speak!
Dear friends!
I am glad to see you all and I am sincerely grateful for your constant support and attention to Ukraine.
First, I want to note the EU’s decision on new sanctions against Russia and your determination, especially by the Baltic and North Sea littoral countries, to limit Russia’s shadow tanker fleet not only through sanctions, but also in other ways. This fleet is one of the biggest threats. Putin uses these tankers to finance his war, and most of these vessels are old, poorly maintained and operate without any oversight. Recently, two oil tankers sank near the Kerch Strait. These vessels were almost 50 years old. They should not have been exploited at all, especially in this part of the water area and in this season. Now our sea is facing another environmental disaster caused by Russia. Much larger and more dangerous Russian tankers operate in your seas. This fleet must be stopped. This will not only stop funding Russia’s war, but also protect nature. I urge you to take even more decisive measures to ensure that the shadow tanker fleet and other Russian vessels, including those carrying weapons, can no longer operate in European waters.
Second. You all have probably received word that North Korean troops are engaged in hostilities. Currently, Ukrainian soldiers are deterring attacks involving North Korean soldiers. Their number may increase, and we should all be aware of this. This clearly shows that Putin cannot cope alone, so he is dragging others into an even bigger war.
Pyongyang has the same contempt for human life as Moscow, paying Russia in people in exchange for goods and military technology. This brings us back again and again to the need to strengthen our defense cooperation – in the production of all types of weapons that enable warfare at a distance. We must protect our people. We must do everything possible to destroy Russia’s ability to wage war from as great a distance as possible. For this we need more drones, modern artillery and long-range missiles. I thank you, my friends, for investing in our defense industry and for increasing the production of weapons in your countries. Our arsenals must match the threats we face, and European industry is fully capable of achieving this. But we have to expand this cooperation and these investments. We also discussed earlier, during our various meetings, the preparation of our joint brigade – with the participation of the Nordic and Baltic countries, as well as Great Britain and the Netherlands. I am asking you to put this into practice.
The third. Air defense. Last Friday night, the Russians launched a massive missile attack on our energy infrastructure. They waited for the cold weather to strike. 94 missiles and almost 200 attack drones were used in this strike. Fortunately, we managed to defend ourselves. But we know: this is only a pause, and Russia will try to strike again as soon as it is ready. They always do that. That is why we need a reliable guarantee of protection against air terror, which means having a sufficient number of air defense systems. We need the full implementation of agreements on the supply of air defense systems, including those reached at the NATO summit in Washington. We remember that as compensation for the impossibility of inviting Ukraine to the Alliance at that stage, we were promised a significant number of air defense systems. I am asking for your help to make it happen. And, frankly, our partners know: we need 12-15 more systems in addition to these to fully protect our country from Russian missile attacks. It’s real. The main thing is the political will of our partners. I am turning now specifically to the United States in the first place. To the United States and Europe, of course. And also to the friends who are online now, our friends in Sweden, a country that can quickly provide a full Patriot battery by shipping both the radar and the launchers. Regarding other possibilities, our team is already in contact with your teams.
And one more thing. Each new month of this struggle between Russia and the free world proves the importance of coordinating our efforts. We all need to stick together. Russia will continue to escalate its threats as long as it can afford it. Therefore, we need more joint work, more coordinated steps and efforts. We must strengthen all our forms of cooperation, including the Joint Expeditionary Force. Ukraine is ready for greater interaction and joining JEF as a member.
We all understand that next year may be the year of the end of this war. We have to make it happen. We must establish a peace that Putin can no longer break, a peace that will not just be a pause, but a real, long-lasting peace. I am sure we can achieve it. The main thing is not to be afraid of our common strength.
Thanks again for the invitation. Thank you
Glory to Ukraine!
