Speeches

I want to personally thank you and your team for changing Honduras’ course – you are supporting us on all key geopolitical platforms. That matters to us. On the one hand, Ukraine must defend itself, and we need air defenses to protect the lives of our people. On the other hand, we need the same level of protection for our independence, our geopolitical interests.

The first cluster was recently opened, and it is fully deserved for both Ukraine and Moldova. And we are ready to move further. We will be happy to do it together. We can open the other 5 clusters as well. 

We’ve done a lot to defend against drones, and our interception rate is above 90 percent. That is a serious, very serious achievement. We are also defending against cruise missiles. But Russian ballistic missiles remain a problem, and we need an answer to that problem. 

What is happening today – the opening of the first cluster in the accession negotiations for Ukraine and Moldova – sends a clear message that Europe’s progress cannot be stopped.

We have one wish for President Trump – from all Ukrainians: that we may finally achieve peace, and achieve this success together with the U.S. and all our partners.

Ukraine is ready to open six clusters, and we expect to achieve more results this summer for our integration into the European Union. At least from our side, there will be no delays.

There will be new, significantly stronger contracts for infantry personnel. On average, 300,000 hryvnias on the front line. Everything depends on Ukrainian infantry, on our Ukrainian infantryman. The contracts will be structured to ensure clarity: contract terms of 10, 14, and 24 months with clear conditions – meaning clear temporary discharge.

A Russian military plant in Cheboksary – 900 kilometers from Ukraine – was hit, and this was carried out by Ukrainian Flamingo missiles. There were also strikes on Russia’s oil industry facilities. We have achievements in the Black Sea region as well.

I want to thank Estonia for hosting this Summit, hosting me today, with my wife, with the First Lady, with all our team. As always, the NB8 format is very, very practical. Europe is strongest when Europeans act together, not separately.

We held our bilateral meeting with Estonia, and we have already begun our conversation with Finland, Latvia, and Sweden. Further bilateral meetings with other Summit participants will follow, as well as our joint work – all NB8 countries and Ukraine. The main thing that is very important today is to prepare for the negotiations and decisions that we all expect from the summits at the European Union, G7, and NATO levels.