“New Year greetings of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
Dear Ukrainians, dear Ukrainian women!
In a few minutes, the new year will come. And I would give everything, everything in the world, to be able to say in this address that peace will come in a few minutes. Unfortunately, I cannot do this yet, but with a clear conscience I, we can all say that Ukraine is definitely doing everything for peace. And continues to do.
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I returned to Kyiv yesterday, at 6 in the morning. Our team spent almost 50 hours on the road. The peace agreement is 90 percent ready. Ten remain. And it’s much more than… than just numbers. This is the ten percent that actually have everything. It is about ten percent that will determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe, the way people will live. Ten percent to save millions of lives. Ten percent of the determination it takes to make peace work to its full potential. Ten percent of such necessary unity and wisdom – Ukrainian, American, European, and the whole world. Ten percent to peace.
I want all of you and I to be on the same page, to understand reality equally, to be armed, and not only on the battlefield – to be armed with the truth. About who and what they really want. What Ukraine wants. What America Wants What does Russia want? What Europe and the whole world want.
Let’s start with the most important thing. What does Ukraine want? Peace? Yes. At any cost? No. We want the end of the war, but not the end of Ukraine. Are we tired? Strongly. Does this mean we are ready to give up? He who thinks so is greatly mistaken. And he obviously did not understand who Ukrainians are for all these years. A nation that has endured 1,407 days of full-scale war. Just be aware of these numbers. This is more than the Nazi occupation of many of our cities during the Second World War. 1407 days of unconquered Ukraine. Which is actually every night in shelter, every day in struggle. Often without light. Often without sleep. And many days in positions, many. But always – without panic, without chaos, without discord, in unity to be at peace. Do we want the war to end? Certainly. Why hasn’t this happened yet? The answer is in the neighborhood of our state. Can Russia end the war? Yes. Does she want it? No. Can the world make her do it? Yes, and that’s the only way it will work. Why doesn’t the world do this to its fullest extent? Let’s figure it out. In order, honestly, as… as it is. Our people know this best. Russia does not end its wars alone. There was no war in history that they would have ended at their own will. Only pressure from others, only coercion from others, which they themselves call a “gesture of goodwill”.
This was the case in all the years when Russia was at war with someone, that is, in all the years of its existence.
This can be confirmed by everyone against whom Moscow went to war at different times. Poland, Turkey, Finland, Syria, Georgia, Abkhazia, Ossetia, Chechnya – and this list can be continued endlessly, because almost the entire territory of Russia has been collected from wars. That’s who we’re dealing with. We are Ukraine, Europe, America, the whole world.
“Leave Donbass and everything will be over.” This is how deception sounds in translation from Russian. Translated into Ukrainian, English, German, French and, in fact, any language in the world. Does anyone still believe them then? Unfortunately. Because the truth is still too often avoided, it is called diplomacy, although it is just a lie in costumes.
And that’s why there is pressure on Ukraine, yes. And that’s why we fight like this. And we prove the seemingly obvious truths that after the occupation of Crimea, the capture of parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the full-scale invasion on February 24, after Buchi, Mariupol, Olenivka and everything that the Kremlin has been doing all this time, taking their word for it is simply a verdict. A verdict on common international security. And to every leader who simply has to protect his people.
Were these our arguments heard? We really hope. Did you agree with us? Not completely. For now. And that is why we are still talking about 90, not all 100 percent readiness of the peace agreement.
Intentions must become guarantees of safety. And therefore – to be ratified. Congress of the United States, European parliaments, all partners. Ukraine will not be satisfied with the Budapest paper. Ukraine does not need Minsk’s jeweled trap. Signing weak agreements only fuels the war. My signature will stand under a strong agreement. And this is what every meeting, every call, every decision is about. To ensure a strong peace for all. Not for a day, a week or two months – peace for years. And only then is it truly a success. Ukraine, America, Europe, in fact, every nation that wants to live, not fight.
I told President Trump about it. Said in the first meeting, when everything could have ended in a storm for all of us, and in the recent meeting, which gives hope to us all. The fact that peace is near, it… it is more possible than ever. And we are able to provide it together.
And I will be honest: it was not easy to achieve such a change in the degree of relations between Ukraine and the United States. From the first Oval Office and all the “sharp corners” in it to the conversation at Mar-a-Lago, which proved the fact: nothing will work without Ukraine. Ukraine defended its right to vote, and everyone sees that Ukraine respects itself, and therefore they respect us, they respect Ukraine. And the most obvious proof of this is the seven meetings I had with the President of America this year. And no matter where in the world we met: Washington, New York, The Hague, the Vatican – the President of the USA always mentions our people, talks about how bravely Ukrainians fight. And for the whole world, such a mention of Ukrainians has become mandatory. And it is happiness – happiness to hear this, it is pride – to be the president of such a nation.
And such a state. Which has withstood and reaches any enemy military facility and oil refinery, returns the war to Russia, teaches NATO troops what modern drones are. Which gives an asymmetrical slap to Russia and forces Putin to lie that he took Kupyansk three times and shot down drones near his residence with his own hands. Ukraine, which has a mature foresight, has its own range, and therefore has arguments. Has wisdom, dignity and is ready to compromise, but not to shame.
And I thank every leader who supports Ukraine in this. Who understands the most important thing: today there are only two options, and only two – either the world will stop Russia’s war, or Russia will drag the world into its war. And it is a shock – a shock that after so many wars, after four years of such a war, the war in Ukraine, in Europe, unfortunately, this has to be explained to many. We explain, repeat. And even the leaders are changing, but the questions are the same. Is America able to stop the aggressor very quickly and decisively? Definitely. Would we like that? Very. And when is it possible? Always. And when do you need it? But we still needed it yesterday. And in the 26th year it is possible. There are sanctions – we are grateful. Sanctions bite Russia, but only a dead grip will work. Russian oil is already cheaper, but their tankers have to stop completely for the war to stop. Russian factories are already slowing down, but must stand still so that the occupier does not move. And “tomahawks” in Ukrainian hands would actually prove only one thing: peace has no alternative. And there must be peace. And support. And there should be a strong agreement. And then everything worked is
Does Europe understand this? Yes. Does all of Europe understand this? No. And I don’t want such an understanding to come to everyone in Europe one day at four in the morning – the way it happened in Ukraine. I do not want such an understanding to be brought to all Europeans by vehicles with the letter “Z” on their streets. And when Putin says: “Let’s not gather, we will attack you” – this is the first bell, where exactly his tanks will go and his drones will fly.
And we have every right to say today: Ukraine is actually the only shield that currently separates a comfortable European life from the “Russian world”. And the majority of leaders do not ask why support Ukraine, because if, God forbid, Ukraine falls, the following questions will arise: why support Poland, and who will fight for the Baltic states, and what to do without Ukraine in NATO?
Europe needs Ukraine, and Europe needs Ukraine. We feel it like never before. And when, after the meetings in the States, we now call our partners, and the Europeans are awake, and everyone is very worried, and we are always in touch, and we consult with Emmanuel, the President of France, on how to proceed. And when we are talking to the Chancellor of Germany on the way to Kyiv and Friedrich says: “There will be air defense.” And we say to Kir Starmer that we should meet immediately after the New Year, there should be no pauses, so that there is a Coalition of the willing to push all the documents, and not lose America, and push Russia. And how absolutely right George Maloney is when she says: look, the agreement documents must be correct, the peace must be such that Ukrainians accept it. Ukrainians must approve this peace. Because if everything is unfair, and peace is fragile, and Moscow attacks again, she says, I don’t want disappointed people in Ukraine to burn portraits of European and American leaders in the squares.
These words that peace must be, must be dignified, are supported by all those who do a lot for Ukraine: the Netherlands and Sweden, Norway and Poland. And the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette, who always says: we are not doing enough for Ukraine, we should do more for Ukraine, because it is for the protection of the whole of Europe. And Spain, which is with us, and the Vatican, and Phanar with their diplomacy and prayer. The Czech Republic, Romania, Greece, President Erdogan, all the countries of the European Union. And this morning, the president of Finland, Alex Stubb, called me, and we talk to him every day. And after our important conversations, he always tells me at the end: “Friend, don’t forget to train, because you have to be strong, Ukrainians have to be strong. We believe in you. We all need you.”
And this is our communication with the leaders of Europe, this warmth and spirit of this partnership mean that Ukraine is already part of the European family and all negotiation clusters between us have actually been open for a long time. And such unity gives hope. And such unity of Ukraine and Europe has been proven. We have secured $100 billion in support. This is much more than just two years of help. This is the stability of our army, this is peace for our people, this is money, salaries, this is pensions. Yes, this is life. And it is justice that in the end Russia pays for it.
And such unity, and such indifference to Ukraine, first of all, goes far beyond the borders of the continent. It is visible and tangible to us in Japan, Australia, and Canada. I am very grateful to everyone in the world who is on the bright side of history, on the side of Ukraine, and is doing everything so that Ukraine can achieve its goal, press on, add to peace.
Dear people! In a moment – the New Year. Millions of us are waiting for him. And we will have New Year’s despite everything, because we are such people, we are Ukrainians, we will come up with something, we will cook it. And it will be nice, it will be delicious, there will be a glass of champagne. Maybe someone has something stronger. And there will be a toast, very important words. Toast. One for all. For millions of Ukrainians.
For our soldiers who are now at ground zero. For everyone who gave his life for Ukraine. For everyone who saves and teaches us every day. For everyone who is always, and even this night, on duty. Firefighters, doctors, energy workers. For ours, who have returned from captivity and who will welcome this New Year at home. For everyone we are waiting for. For everyone who helps us. For the end of this war. For peace to come. So that the enemy does not succeed. And it will not succeed as long as we fight like this, as long as we hold on like this. As long as they are Ukrainians.
Russia will have to end the war as soon as they find one more reason for peace than to fight. That’s why we often say to each other what our guys on the front say: all we have to do is last one day longer than them. And we add today: to be one step ahead, one hour faster, one decision braver. And let it be one tenth, but better. And by ten percent, by the ten percent that I said at the beginning – by ten percent stronger. And then we will choose peace one hundred percent. I wish this for all of us.
Dear Ukrainians! 2025 is coming to an end. A real winter is around us. And what we haven’t seen for a very long time is snow on New Year’s. And all the children, of course – to be honest, adults too – were waiting for it. And it gives a strong feeling: if we really, really want something, sooner or later it happens. Of course, what we want most now is peace. But, unlike New Year’s snow, it will not fall from the sky just like a miracle. But we believe in peace, and we fight for it, and we work for it. And let’s continue to do it. Because we really want in 2026 to be quiet in the sky and calm on earth, to have warmth and light in our homes. And not 170, but all 220 – as it should be. So that all our people return home. From the front, from captivity, from occupation. To be us. To be Ukraine.
Happy New Year, dear people! Glory to Ukraine!