Thread by @zoyashef

Latest Zelenskyy is a corker. In Russian, he tells Russians to protest war, as it’s better to face off against repression than be labeled Nazis. He also takes aim at Western leaders who are blocking Russian oil embargo. Key moments ... 1/~35

Starts in Ukrainian: “It seems the world’s attitude to the modern Russian state is finally changing. After what the world saw in Bucha when Russian troops retreated, the attitude to all in Russia will be simple: Either you support peace, or you back unjustified massacres." 2/

Zelenskyy seamlessly switches to Russian, with a powerful message to would-be dissidents: “The murdered Ukrainian men and women in Bucha, in Irpin, in other cities that Russian troops had entered, is the final argument. The final argument for every citizen of Russia." 3/

Russians, Zelenskyy says, must now make a choice. "Decide, once and for all, whether you’re for war, or for peace. If you’re for war, then you will forever, until the end of your life, be outcasts, and in the end, you’ll lose everything." 4/

"And if you’re for peace, if you have even a tiny bit of shame about what Russian forces are doing in Ukraine - for that sort of citizen of Russia, this is a key moment. You must demand, really demand, the end of the war." 5/

"It’s better now, by demanding peace, to lose something, to butt up against the repressive Russian machine, than to be equated with the Nazis for the rest of your life," Zelenskyy tells Russians. 6/

“This concerns not only public figures in Russia, not only businessmen, but also ordinary citizens. Nazism has no future. Mass killings have no future. Everyone in Russia who won’t demand an end to this shameful war and withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine, has no future.” 7

Zelenskyy switches back to Ukrainian. “It seems that the Russian leadership is really afraid that the fury of the world because of what they’ve seen in Bucha, will be repeated because of what they see in other places from where we will certainly drive out the occupiers.” 8/

Ukrainians have info Russian forces have changed tactics and “are trying to remove the people they have killed from the streets and basements of the occupied territory," Zelenskyy says. See: reports of mobile crematoria Russia is bringing into Ukraine. 9/
newsweek.com/ukraine-mariup…

But Russians can't hide all the evidence, Zelenskyy says, "because they killed so many. Responsibility cannot be avoided.” 10/

Zelenskyy says Ukrainians know of “thousands of people who are missing. We know of thousands of people who have either been deported to Russia or killed. There are no other options for their fate.” 11/

He is referring to multiple reports that Russians have forced Ukrainians in Russian-held cities to evacuate to Russia, or face death. 12/ politico.eu/article/russia…

"Thanks to an objective investigation, thanks to witnesses, thanks to satellite surveillance of what's happening on the ground, thanks to other tools that help establish the truth, we will find out all the circumstances regarding the majority of our citizens," Zelenskyy says. 13

It's too late to reverse course in some ways, Zelenskyy says. “Now that the world has begun debating whether you can call what the Russian military did on the territory of Ukraine a genocide - the search for truth can no longer be stopped. It can’t be reversed in any way, 14/

But, Russia can choose a different path forward: “One can quickly abandon further aggression against Ukraine, and thus try to somewhat reduce the damage to Russian statehood, and to those who personally adopted key decisions in Russia." 15/

But if Russians don't change course, "if nothing changes – then it is suicide,” Zelenskyy says. “Suicide for all those who choose to continue the war.” 16/

Discusses new package of sanctions introduced by Western countries on Wednesday. Says new investment will be blocked, banks targeted, and individuals. “This package looks good. But this is not enough." 17/

"You could hardly call it commensurate with the evil the world saw in Bucha. With the evil that continues in Mariupol, with the shelling of Kharkiv, with Russia’s attempt to launch a new global, bloody offensive in Donbas," Zelenskyy says of latest sanctions package. 18/

The camera moves in for a close-up as Zelenskyy says Ukraine will continue to insist on a full block on Russia in global banking system, and on a full ban on Russian oil. 19/

Zelenskyy says: “It is the export of oil that is one of the foundations of Russia’s aggression. One of the foundations that allows the Russian leadership not to take seriously attempts to negotiate the ending of the war and liberation of Ukrainian territory.” 20/

He again calls out Western leaders who are pushing back against a Russian oil ban. (As POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook wrote on Tuesday, Germany, Austria and Hungary succeeded in exempting oil from the EU’s 5th sanctions package, over inflation fears). 21 politico.eu/newsletter/bru…

“Some politicians are still unable to decide how to limit the flow of dollars and euros from the oil trade to Russia, so as not to jeopardize their own economies,” Zelenskyy says (he’s looking at you, Berlin, Budapest and Vienna, though this time he doesn’t name names). 22

“But that’s why people go into politics. To solve such problems, such difficult tasks. To solve them quickly and in a principled fashion.” 23

Tough talk from Zelenskyy, aimed squarely at leaders like Hungary’s Viktor Orban, Germany’s Olaf Scholz and Austria’s Karl Nehammer. “If you are not capable then you shouldn’t have entered politics,” Zelenskyy says. 24

"An embargo on Russian oil supplies will be imposed anyway...The only question is how many more Ukrainian men and women the Russian forces will have time to kill, so that you, some politicians – and we know who you are – can borrow a little more determination from somewhere.” 25

Change of camera angle – moves out wider again. And a change in Zelenskyy’s tone, which lightens. “It is good that the US Treasury has suspended Russia’s ability to use US bank accounts and related assets to pay its debt,” he says. 26 (He refers to this: politico.com/news/2022/04/0…).

That decision “is tangible. And I’m grateful for that.” But adds more needs to be done. “If there's no really painful sanctions package against Russia and if there's no supply of weapons for us that we really need, really need, and have asked for many times ...

... Russia will see this as permission. Permission to go further. Permission to attack. Permission to start a new bloody wave in Donbas. It is still possible to prevent this,” Zelenskyy says. 28

“It is still possible to implement such sanctions, which Ukraine is insisting upon, and which our people are insisting upon. It is still possible to give us weapons that will really stop this aggression. The West can still do it." 29/

"Just as it could have applied preventative sanctions last year to prevent this war. If the same mistake is made again, if preventative action isn’t taken again, it will be a historic mistake for the entire Western world." 30

Camera comes in for another close-up, though not as close as when Zelenskyy was berating Western leaders who are blocking a Russian oil embargo. Says he addressed the Irish parliament and people earlier in the day. 31/

Zelenskyy notes Ireland “was one of the first to come to our aid after February 24,” when Russian forces launched their attack on Ukraine. Ireland “is one of those who shows principled leadership in the European house to put effective and decisive pressure on Russia.” 32/

Zelenskyy says as a result of his address in Ireland, he has some good news: “Ireland fully supports Ukraine’s accelerated accession to the European Union.” 33/

A note here, because there’s been lots of confusion on where Ukraine is on the path to EU membership. Under EU rules, joining the bloc requires unanimous approval from each and every one of the leaders of the 27 existing members. 34/

Which means if even 1 country decides it doesn’t want Ukraine in the club – say, Hungary, or Austria, or Italy, or France (particularly in the unlikely but not impossible case we get a President Marine Le Pen) – then there’s not much to be done. 35/

Last country to join the EU was Croatia, almost a decade ago. So regardless of resolutions in European Parliament and nice words from European Commission, what Zelenskyy needs is to convince the 27 EU heads of state/government to back his goal for Ukraine to join the EU. 36

And that is a very difficult thing to convince certain EU members of, particularly after the financial crisis, and particularly given Albania and North Macedonia have been in the waiting room for so long. 37

Back to Zelenskyy’s address. He says today he’ll address parliaments of Greece and Cyprus. Then in afternoon will meet with his cabinet and discuss the budget and economy. Key message here is Ukraine wants to be open for business, despite the war. 38

“The economy is also a frontline on which we fight for our freedom, for our state, for our people,” Zelenskyy says. Adds that many Ukrainians are trying to return home, both from aboard and from west of country where they fled from Russian attack. 39

He adds warning: “The Russian occupiers continue to accumulate fighting forces to realise their wicked ambitions in Donbas. They are preparing to resume an active offensive. We are preparing for a further reduction of Russia’s military potential, manpower and equipment." 40

But, Zelenskyy says, "We will fight, and we will not retreat." 41/41

Oh you can watch the subtitled video here: t.me/V_Zelenskiy_of…

"Corker" means it's very strong and gets your attention - pops like a Champagne cork.