I wish you good health, fellow Ukrainians!
I have just approved the new appointments of Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Ministers. The Ministry of Defense team has launched a phase of very active changes – in just one week, additional contracts have already been signed for drones. This is very important. An audit of existing agreements with our partners is also underway – we have hundreds of agreements, which all must be implemented and all must be fulfilled. Together with the Minister of Defense of Ukraine and the Office team, we discussed the issue of funding our defense, our warriors – we are ensuring resilience. Also today, the Minister of Defense delivered a report together with the Chief of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. The details are not public, but we will take some steps – strong steps. I spoke with the Commander-in-Chief this morning, and again just now. Updates on the frontline, on our positions, on our activity. Pokrovsk remains under our close daily attention. I want to thank every unit defending this direction – the most difficult one at the moment.
There was also a report from Ukraine’s negotiation team following their return from Türkiye. I am very grateful to our guys for this work. Agreements have been reached regarding future exchanges – I truly hope we will succeed in bringing more of our warriors home from captivity. The agreement is that 1,200 warriors will return. We also remember about civilians – all those who must be brought back home to Ukraine. I thank everyone who is helping us. Our representatives who were in Türkiye at a meeting with the Russians once again proposed a real ceasefire to the Russian side: immediate and complete. They proposed a meeting of leaders to truly reach decisions for peace. Ukraine is ready to work as swiftly and productively as possible. And we are seeing Russia’s responses – again, the same ones. Kharkiv: more than 40 people were injured in a strike on the city. Odesa: Russian drones damaged the Pryvoz market, residential buildings, and streets. Nikopol and other cities and villages in the Dnipro region – FPV drones strike our civilians. Kherson region – air-dropped bombs. Mykolaiv region, Zaporizhzhia – strikes throughout the day. Of course, we will respond to Russia for all of this.
We also continue working with our partners on sanctions against Russia. Today I spoke with European leaders – UK Prime Minister Starmer and German Chancellor Merz. I want to thank them for their support. I am grateful for their willingness to continue assisting with diplomatic efforts – we discussed engagements with the United States and our other partners. I also greatly value Germany’s support on the European track.
Today, my bill is already in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine – fulfilling my promise – for justice, for law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies. Full-fledged guarantees of the independence of anti-corruption agencies. Real opportunities to verify, so that any Russian interference is kept out. Everyone who has access to state secrets – and this includes not only the NABU and SAPO, but also the SBI, our National Police – must undergo lie detector tests. And these must be regular checks. The bill also contains provisions to prevent various abuses. The text of the bill was discussed with partners, law enforcement agencies, and representatives of the NABU and SAPO. There were many proposals from our partners to involve European experts – from the UK, Germany, and the EU. I instructed our Government officials to present the bill to all our partners and to engage all necessary expert capabilities. And of course, it is important that Ukrainians are responding with such dignity to everything that’s happening. Ukraine is a country of people who don’t look away. I thank everyone who is fighting for our state, who is working for Ukraine. Thank you! Thank you!
Glory to Ukraine!