Speeches

Virtually every day, at both the political and military levels, we are in communication with our partners to strengthen air defense. We are seeking anti-ballistic capabilities. Most importantly, we are moving toward conditions in which we will be able to produce air defense in Ukraine and together with our partners – all the necessary formats, systems, missiles, and so on.

The Netherlands is among the greatest defenders of life thanks to its support for Ukraine. You significantly helped us with air defense and other needs – from combat aviation to critically important political and financial support. We especially value the consistent annual assistance provided by the Netherlands to our state and its resilience.

The world did not look away from this war. It did not hand Ukraine over to a predator. And that has changed a lot – not only, by the way, not only for Ukraine.

We work together with Italy and with partners to guarantee security in every sense of the word and to ensure that relations between us are always friendly and meaningful.

First of all, I want to highlight your contributions to the PURL program. It’s so important. Thank you so much. Yes. But we need also other allies to help us. But we are very thankful to you personally. Thank you and to your nation. This is great support.

We have ten documents that have already been signed – ten arrangements, ten agreements of different levels. Arrangements on air defense are among the most urgent for us. This includes air defense missiles – PAC-2 missiles, of course, as well as launchers for IRIS-T systems – we are grateful for them.

The invisible heroes of our defense. Yet we see the results of their work every single day – and evil feels them every single day. These are our Ukrainian arms makers – all employees of Ukraine’s defense industrial complex. In four years, Ukraine has built a new defense industry.

“God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved.” These words are inscribed here, above our Oranta, in our great Saint Sophia. And these words are endowed with extraordinary strength – a strength we have felt for more than fifteen hundred days of the battle for life, in which our Ukraine, our capital, our people, and our faith remain unshaken.

I am grateful to everyone working for the exchanges: our entire Coordination Headquarters team and intelligence services, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, of course, the army, and most of all, every Ukrainian unit on the front line that ensures the replenishment of the exchange fund for Ukraine. Your courage, warriors, is the guarantee that we will be able to bring our people home.

We got through this winter thanks to all our people who work for our state, for their communities, thanks to the professionals in energy companies and municipal services. I want to thank you all. Business also performed well – supplies, logistics.