Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Ukrainians on the fourth anniversary of the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with footage from his office, a small room in a bunker on Bankova Street, where his first conversations with world leaders took place at the beginning of the war, and indicated that he very much wants to come here one day with the US President, writes UNN.
Today marks exactly four years since Putin planned to take Kyiv in three days. And this actually says a lot about our resistance, about how Ukraine has been fighting all this time. Behind these words are millions of our people. Behind these words are great courage, very hard work, endurance, and a long path that Ukraine has been overcoming since February 24.
The President stated:
This office, this small room in the bunker on Bankova, is where my first conversations with world leaders took place at the beginning of the war. I spoke with President Biden here, and it was here that I heard: "Volodymyr, there is a threat, you need to leave Ukraine urgently. We are ready to help with this." And I replied here that I needed weapons, not a taxi.
"And not because we are all so fearless or so steel. We are all living people, and on that day, all of us, all Ukrainians, were scared, and hurt, and many were in shock, and many did not know what to say, but at some... at some invisible level, we all knew that we had no other Ukraine. This is our home, and we all understood what needed to be done," the Head of State continued.
According to him, "it was such a choice." "A choice that millions of Ukrainian men and women made then. Our people did not raise a white flag, but defended the blue and yellow one. And the occupiers, who thought they would be met with queues of flowers, saw queues at military enlistment offices. Our people chose resistance. And our soldiers – they stood firm, and civilians defended cities, defended our villages, streets, courtyards, ordinary people, absolutely, stopped columns of equipment with a living wall. And all together they showed the lost Russia the only right way," the President stated.
"Everyone understood: every tomorrow must be earned. Ukraine had to stand, the state had to stand despite everything. And despite everything, our Ukraine had to work. A lot was done right here – we have never shown this object before. Now it is empty, of course, but at the beginning of the war... at the beginning of the war there were hundreds of people here," Zelenskyy said.
"I worked here, then I went upstairs, I addressed you, the people. Our team was here, the government, daily meetings with the military, calls, finding solutions – everything necessary for Ukraine to stand. Weapons had to be delivered. Medicines were delivered, food was delivered to cities blocked by the enemy. So that there would be life, for which Ukraine is fighting so desperately," the Head of State said.
According to him, "honestly, well, it was different, and official language was spoken here, and non-literary, because every aid package, every sanction against Russia, every batch of weapons – all this had to be really... really gnawed out." "To gnaw out faith in Ukraine. To make the world get involved," he noted.
"And this was the key message of appeals to European countries, to the US Congress, to most parliaments of the world. And to people, of course, to ordinary people, to millions around the world: be with us, be with Ukraine, believe in us, stand with Ukraine, be brave like Ukraine! These calls worked, because Ukrainians fought so breathtakingly. And this resistance was visible from space. It was absolutely inspiring, so very soon everyone saw this blue and yellow sea – thousands of people with our flags in the squares of Europe and the world," Zelenskyy said.
"And so gradually, with difficulty, step by step, brick by brick, Ukraine," according to the President, "built the support that allowed it to endure: when we withstood the first day of the war, the longest in life." "And then another. And another. And then a week. Two. And then... and then – a month. And we saw spring," he stated.
We won it when it seemed that this February would never end. We gained our first spring during the great war. It was a turning point, and for the first time then, everyone had this thought: we can do it. Ukraine can do it.
"I really like the phrase that everyone reposted at that time. A kind of summary of the first stage of the full-scale war, when Ukraine said: 'Do you think I knelt down? I just tied my boots,'" he noted.
"And ahead," according to him, "was the path." "And even this long tunnel cannot contain a millionth part of the pain that Ukraine has experienced during this time. The pain that Russia has brought to every one of our families, to every Ukrainian heart," the President stated.
"Bucha. Irpin. Borodianka. Mass graves. Hostomel. "Mriya". Kharkiv. Mykolaiv. ODA. Kakhovka dam. Zaporizhzhia NPP. Kremenchuk and Kryvyi Rih. Ternopil and Lviv. Olenivka. Chasiv Yar. Kyiv. "Okhmatdyt". Kramatorsk. Station. Toy. Mariupol. Drama Theater. "Children" sign. Odesa. High-rise building. Girl. Three months. Vilniansk. Maternity hospital. Infant. Two days..." the Head of State noted.
"Men don't fight like that. People don't act like that. Ukrainians will not forget this. And let everyone see these images who has no conscience, who still extends a hand to Russian evil and still buys oil from Putin," the President continued.
"But all this time we do not allow anger to eat us from within, Ukrainians turn their own rage into energy for struggle and prove: you can force us to go down to the shelter, but it is impossible to drive Ukraine underground forever. We will certainly rise, return, we continue to fight, because we are fighting for life. For the right to stand on our land, to breathe our air. And Ukraine knows these feelings well, when despite everything, after the all-clear, we rise up and when hope rises with us from the bomb shelter, it always flies to the sky when the Ukrainian flag rises – when it returned and returns to where it rightfully belongs," Zelenskyy stated.
"And this is the next important stage of our struggle, when Ukraine not only stood its ground and not only holds the defense, but when Ukraine fights back. When entire cities created history. Hero cities. Cities of heroes. That moved forward. There were first offensives, first successes, and what cannot be forgotten: first eyes – the eyes of Ukrainians who waited for their own. Balakliia, Izium, Kupiansk, Kherson. And everyone saw how the occupiers were driven out of Kyiv region, driven out of Sumy region, Chernihiv region. And everyone learned about the Ukrainian teleport for enemies to the other world – Chornobaivka. They saw how Russian ultimatums became gestures of goodwill. How Zmiinyi became ours again," Zelenskyy noted.
"How the word "cotton" got a new meaning, and how we rejoiced when the first "cotton" was heard in Russia. This is not gloating, it's just how justice sounds in Ukrainian. It sounds like "Stugna", "Vilkhа", "Neptune" and the rumble with which the cruiser "Moskva" went to the bottom. Then it was an event, later – a tradition. And little else warms the souls of Ukrainians as much as footage of burning enemy military facilities and its oil refineries. When it happened for the first time, it was big news. Now – almost daily. And what used to seem like fantasy has now become the norm. "Patriots", "Iris-T", "NASAMS", F-16. And something more: our weapons, our long-range capabilities," Zelenskyy noted.
And added: "Just realize: Ukraine has come a long way from the point where we were given 'body armor' to the point where we ourselves produce more than 3 million FPV drones per year. From the times when we admired 'Javelins' and 'Bayraktars' to the day when we have our own 'Sichen', 'Hor', 'Vampire', 'Palyanytsia', 'Peklo', 'Ruta', 'Flamingo'. From asking to close the sky to being able to shoot down hundreds of 'Shaheds' in a night. From hedgehogs and fortifications on the streets of Kyiv to the Kursk operation and 'Pautyna'."
But this is not enough – we will do more, because Russia, unfortunately, does not stop and fights with all methods against peace, against us, against people.
"Putin understands that he is unable to defeat Ukraine on the battlefield, and the 'second army of the world' is fighting against high-rise buildings and power plants. And now Ukrainians are overcoming the hardest winter in history. And terror almost every night. And I don't know who else would endure such a thing, not crumble, not waver. Ukrainians are doing it. This is great fatigue, of course. What other nation can do this? Despite the war, all these attacks, all the trials, to overcome evil, to overcome despair, despondency. And to hold on. And to hold on in unity," the Head of State noted.
"And with all this – to achieve results everywhere. To recover after every attack. To constantly replenish our air defense with missiles. To go to work every morning. To constantly hold positions. To speak to the world as equals. To gain EU candidate status, to bring thousands of our prisoners home. And every international platform – from Davos to the UN – to make pro-Ukrainian. To make Ukraine's voice loud in the world, to win Eurovision, to take Oscar and BAFTA, to be absolute world boxing champions and to prove that Ukrainians have honor of the highest standard – much more expensive than any gold of this spineless IOC. From every such act, from all such steps, achievements, small victories, a great Ukraine is formed. Great, because it has you. People who inspire the planet," Zelenskyy emphasized.
He stated that "we remember how the first foreign leaders arrived in Ukraine at the beginning of this war." "And the term 'official visit' cannot even remotely convey what these meetings meant to us. We understood who was truly our brother and friend, who was not afraid, did not hesitate, who preserved their name and did not worry about not angering Putin. I want to thank every leader who chose the bright side of history – chose Ukraine. In Europe, the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia. Everyone, everyone who is with us," the President said.
And I really want to come here one day with the US President. I know for sure: only by visiting Ukraine and seeing our life and struggle with your own eyes, feeling our people and this sea of pain – only then can you understand what this war is really about. And through whom. Who is the aggressor here. Who needs to be pressured. Understand that Ukraine is defending life, fighting for exactly that. And this is not a street fight. This is an attack by a sick state on a sovereign one, and understand that Putin is this war. He is the reason for its beginning and an obstacle to its end. And Russia must be put in its place so that there is true peace.
"They say time heals. I'm not sure. At least I don't know how much time it takes to heal all our wounds. All these painful questions of 'how much?', which burn inside. How many tears have been shed? How many attacks, insidious strikes? How many scars on the heart? How many flags in our cemeteries? How many names? Da Vinci. Hrienka. Juice. Zheka. Tykhyi. Nord. Petrychenko. Matsievskyi. Sailor Vitaliy Skakun. Pilot Oleksandr Oksanchenko. Daria Lopatina, Delta. Lana Chornohorska, Sati. Yulia Bereziuk. Margarita Polovinko. Thousands, thousands of heroes who gave their lives for Ukraine to live. Our warrior-defenders. Our guardian angels," the President noted.
The Head of State indicated that "he is sure they told God the whole truth about this war." "About how we defend ourselves. We defend our land, life, independence, our culture, history, our Sophia, our people. One thousand four hundred sixty-two days of full-scale war. Twelve years since the beginning of Russia's aggression. For some – a whole life. Of course, we all want the war to end. But no one will allow Ukraine to end. We want peace. Strong, dignified, long-lasting. And before each round of negotiations, I give our team very clear directives. This always goes through closed decrees, but I will certainly not reveal a state secret if I say my main message: not to nullify all these years, not to devalue all the struggle, courage, dignity, everything that Ukraine has gone through. It cannot, it cannot be given away, forgotten, betrayed. That is why there are so many rounds of negotiations and a battle for every word, for every point, for real security guarantees, so that the agreement is strong. History is watching us carefully. The agreement must not just be signed, it must be accepted – accepted by Ukrainians," Zelenskyy continued.
"Dear people! The strength that has held us all these years is you, our people. Our resistance is you. Ukrainians. Every man and woman who does not give up. Maybe our eyes are tired, but our backs are unyielding. I want to thank each and every one who holds independence on their shoulders. To every soldier – for their strength. To your parents, children, wives, husbands – for their endurance. I thank everyone who makes Ukraine stronger with their work. Who brings light and warmth back to our home. Who heals, volunteers, who teaches. And who studies at university or school. And learns the most important thing – to be human, to be Ukrainian. I am proud of you. I believe in each and every one. In all of you, to whom, without any exaggeration, I have the honor to address: great people of great Ukraine," the President stated.
According to him, "recalling the beginning of the invasion and looking at today, we have every right to say: we defended independence, we did not lose statehood, Ukraine exists, and not only on the map." "Ukraine is a subject of international relations. Our capital is there, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kramatorsk, Odesa, Lviv, and other cities stand. Putin did not achieve his goals. He did not break Ukrainians. He did not win this war. We saved Ukraine, and we will do everything to achieve peace. And for justice to prevail," Zelenskyy stated.
Less than a week until spring. We are overcoming the hardest winter in history. That's a fact. And it's very difficult. Difficult for all of you. But just like on the first day of the war, we continue to build our tomorrow – step by step, deed by deed, achievement by achievement. And every result, every success, every time we say "Ukraine made it" – is thanks to all of you. The Ukrainian people. Glory to Ukraine!