I wish you good health, fellow Ukrainians!
I have just received reports from the Security Service of Ukraine – from Major General Khmara and Major General Poklad. I am grateful that our operations are always strong. I also want to praise the units of the Service that, together with other branches of the Defense and Security Forces, are defending Ukraine on the front line. The SSU Special Operations Center “A” ranked first in March in terms of drone use, being the most effective. SSU military experts have also distinguished themselves in setting up protection systems for some of our partners in the Middle East, within the framework of the expert missions that were deployed by Ukraine to the region. Thank you, warriors! Our expert missions will continue their work in the countries of the Middle East and the Gulf. Building a new protection system remains an ongoing task, and based on our long-term agreements, we will engage the necessary units.
Today, the United States has turned to diplomacy in the situation around Iran, and the world supports this. A ceasefire always creates more space for diplomacy and should precede a genuine end to the war. Ukraine has always approached this war – Russia’s war against Ukraine – from the same position. Of course, this is not easy to implement, and further efforts are still needed in the Middle East to stabilize the ceasefire so that it holds. But ultimately, the goal for everyone must be the same – greater security. Even the announcement of a ceasefire in the Middle East allowed markets to respond positively – oil prices have tumbled. At the same time, this sends the right signal regarding Russia – that, alongside our long-range sanctions, other instruments will also work. There are effectively no grounds left to ease sanctions pressure. Previously, easing sanctions was framed as a necessity to stabilize the global oil market. And if the Strait of Hormuz can be unblocked – and this is a global necessity – Russia’s oil revenues should continue to decline. Oil fuels Russia’s war and emboldens it. This is precisely why Russia invested so heavily in supporting the Iranian regime and sought to prolong that war. No one wants war. And it is important that now not only the countries of the Middle East, not only the Gulf, but also Europe and other key parts of the world draw the right conclusions – security conclusions – from what has happened. There must be more bilateral security cooperation between countries – with those who truly know how to protect lives. There must be more coordination with neighbors and greater engagement at the regional level – by helping your neighbor, you're helping yourself. We must be truly resolute in defending the basic values of normal life – the tools for this are in place – and, among other things, protect freedom of navigation. The whole world has now seen how every country depends on what happens in a single region. The cost of living depends on it – all prices for basic energy resources. We should not test what will happen if another critical region loses its security. We must act – and cooperate – to strengthen security. Ukraine is ready to continue working with all partners so that security is ensured – and strengthened. We are preparing relevant meetings and agreements in Europe. I thank everyone who is helping! I thank our warriors – and all our people who make Ukraine’s defense possible.
Glory to Ukraine!