An incredibly powerful and moving speech by Ukraine’s president Zelensky tonight.
He addressed the Russian people directly in a bid to prevent the potential outbreak of a major and full-blown war —
He addressed the Russian people directly in a bid to prevent the potential outbreak of a major and full-blown war —
Listing his deep personal ties to the Donbas region in east Ukraine, he stressed Kyiv wanted peace and urged Russians to question the information presented to them by state TV.
“You are being told that we hate Russian culture. How could we hate a culture, any culture?” he said.
“You are being told that we hate Russian culture. How could we hate a culture, any culture?” he said.
“Many of you have been to Ukraine, many of you have relatives in Ukraine… Listen to us, hear us. The people of Ukraine want peace.”
“We know for sure that we don’t need war, not cold war, not hot war, not hybrid war.” But he said if anyone tried to snatch away Ukraine’s freedom, it will defend itself.
He added that war was a tragedy that ended in the deaths of loved ones. He warned of tens of thousands dead
He added that war was a tragedy that ended in the deaths of loved ones. He warned of tens of thousands dead
“I know this speech of mine will not be shown on Russian television,” he said. “But the citizens of Russia must know the truth.”
“And the truth is this needs to stop before it’s too late.”
“And the truth is this needs to stop before it’s too late.”
“Ukraine in your news and Ukraine in reality — that’s two different countries,” Zelensky said.
“You are being told that we hate Russian culture. How could we hate a culture, any culture?” he said.
“You are being told that we hate Russian culture. How could we hate a culture, any culture?” he said.
“Ukraine in your news and Ukraine in reality — that’s two different countries,” Zelensky said.
“We know for sure that we don’t need war, not cold war, not hot war, not hybrid war,” he said. But he said that if anyone tried to snatch away Ukraine’s freedom, it will defend itself.
He called on Russians to not believe the narratives about Ukraine being presented on Russian state television, including the often-repeated claim that Ukrainians supported Nazism. He spoke of his grandfather who fought in the Second World War as a soldier in the Soviet army.
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