At the Ukrainian Institute of America, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska met with representatives of the Ukrainian community in the United States.
The meeting, in line with the institute’s tradition, began with a moment of silence in memory of all those who have been killed as a result of Russian aggression while defending Ukraine and its independence.
“I want to thank you for this tradition. We have no right to forget all those people who sacrificed themselves, who undoubtedly sacrificed the most precious thing – their lives – so that Ukraine would not simply live, but endure and prevail,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The President stressed how important it is to make Ukraine’s voice heard and to keep Ukraine in focus even thousands of kilometers away.
“I thank you for the fact that Ukraine is heard – we see and hear it. We see respect for Ukraine, we see flags on the streets of the United States of America and other countries. But above all, on the streets of the country that is crucial for us today in its strategic assistance to endure in this war and to win the war for Ukraine’s independence,” the Head of State emphasized.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that during this visit to the United States, the Ukrainian team held 34 events, including important talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Undoubtedly, the shift in his signals regarding support for Ukraine is important. And we spoke about many things. First and foremost, this is political support for Ukraine, strategic support for Ukraine – what will be in the future. But equally important is the tactical support – what is needed now, to endure. It is important that we are returning home with this,” the President of Ukraine said.
He spoke about joint efforts with U.S. and European partners to strengthen sanctions against Russia, including secondary sanctions.
“We support the proposals of the United States of America to maximize the blocking of the use of the Russian Federation’s energy resources by other, third countries,” the Head of State noted.
The President also shared details of advancing cooperation with the United States under various agreements, including on minerals, drones, and arms procurement.
Additionally, Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented Metropolitan Borys (Gudziak) with the Order of Merit, I class.
