I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!
Right now in Zaporizhzhia, our first responders, medics, police officers, and all services are working to help after a strike by Russian bombs. Air-dropped bombs on the city, on residential buildings, on the bus station, on one of the clinics. Unfortunately, there are casualties. Everyone will receive assistance. I thank every employee of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and all services for responding promptly and for always saving people’s lives, no matter the circumstances.
Today, along the entire front line, in frontline communities, and in our border towns and villages, the Russians once again continued to take lives. No deadlines, no expectations work on them – they do not want to stop the killings. The only thing they are looking for is a way to kill Ukraine.
We clearly understand the threats. All our partners just as clearly understand the threats. Everyone sees that there has been no real step from Russia toward peace, no action on the ground or in the air that could save lives. That is why sanctions are needed, pressure is needed. Strength is needed – the strength, first and foremost, of the United States, the strength of Europe, the strength of all nations in the world that want peace and stability in international relations. If Russia does not want to stop the war, then its economy must be stopped.
These days, we are speaking almost around the clock with everyone who respects international law. There will be more meetings and contacts. Just today, I spoke with the Prime Minister of Sweden, the President of Kazakhstan, and the President of Azerbaijan. We also spoke with the President of France. There is clear support for our independence, our sovereignty, and the territorial integrity of Ukraine. The war must be ended as soon as possible with a just peace. A just peace is needed. There is clear support for the principle that everything concerning Ukraine must be decided with Ukraine’s participation. Just as it should be for every other independent state. Everyone must be respected. I thank all those who share this position with Ukraine.
We are also preparing with Sweden new steps in the development of our Ukrainian combat aviation – this can be a major project for decades to come.
I would also like to separately highlight our energy cooperation with Azerbaijan – we value it greatly. Today, with President Aliyev, we discussed the recent Russian strikes specifically on those energy facilities that connect Ukraine and Azerbaijan. It is obvious that these are deliberate attacks – not only on these facilities, but also on our cooperation. And it is especially valuable to me that the President of Azerbaijan assured, and this is also Ukraine’s position, that we will continue our cooperation despite any challenges.
Of course, our team is working with the United States – not a single day goes by without communication on how to ensure real peace. We understand Russia’s intention to try to deceive America – we will not allow this. I greatly value the determination with which President Trump is committed to bringing an end to the killings in this war. Every day, many people are giving their lives. But the sole root cause of these killings is Putin's desire to wage war and manipulate everyone he comes into contact with. We in Ukraine know Russia well – and that is why, in extremely difficult circumstances, Ukrainians have endured more than three years of full-scale war. We will certainly defend our state and our independence. I thank everyone who is helping.
One more thing. Today, there was a report from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, including on the situation in the Sumy region. We continue to drive Russian forces out of our land. There are much-needed results. I thank every soldier, sergeant, and officer defending Ukraine – our Sumy region, Kharkiv region, our Donetsk region, Luhansk region, our Zaporizhzhia region, our Kherson region. For successful actions in the Sumy region, I would like to particularly commend the 33rd and 225th Separate Assault Regiments, as well as the warriors of the Special Operations Forces. Thank you! For resilience and the destruction of the occupier in the Pokrovsk direction – which remains very important and extremely challenging – I commend the 14th Operational Brigade of the National Guard, the warriors of the 155th Separate Mechanized Brigade, the 1st Assault Regiment, the 2nd Battalion of the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade, and the airmobile battalion of our 79th Brigade. I thank everyone on the frontline, at combat posts and on missions, everyone fighting for us, for Ukraine and our national interests as for themselves. I feel your support. We will certainly defend Ukraine.
Glory to Ukraine!