Zelenskyy on Independence Day: Ukrainian people fear not missiles and tanks but shackles
IRYNA BALACHUK – WEDNESDAY, 24 AUGUST 2022, 09:59
In a speech marking Ukraine's Independence Day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that over the past six months Ukraine has changed the world, changed the course of history, and has itself undergone a transformation.
Source: President Zelenskyy's video address
Quote from Zelenskyy: Addressing the "free people of Independent Ukraine", Zelenskyy said:
"Six months ago, Russia declared war against us. On 24 February, the entire Ukraine heard explosions and gunshots. And our country was not supposed to be able to hear Independence Day greetings on 24 August. But despite being told we have no chance on 24 February, on 24 August we say: Happy Independence Day, Ukraine!
During these six months, we changed history, changed the world and we were ourselves changed. Now we know for sure those who really are our brothers and friends, and those who are less than a casual acquaintance. [We know] who have been able to uphold their name and reputation, and [we know those] who were worried about the terrorists being able to save face. [We know] who doesn't care about us, and [we also know] where the doors are open for us. We realised who is who.
And meanwhile the whole world got to know who Ukrainians are. What Ukraine is. No one will say about it any more: it is somewhere over there, near Russia."
Details: Zelenskyy stressed that Ukrainian people have gained self-respect, they have realised that no-one will fight for their independence in their place, and they have united to do so.
The President of Ukraine said that Ukrainian people and their courage have inspired the whole world and have given humanity a new hope that "justice has not completely left our cynical world". And today, world leaders and regular people alike say that they will stand with Ukraine until the very end, until its victory.
Zelenskyy noted that Ukrainian people have undergone many transformations: some were "born again", while others "dissolved", "as a person, individual, citizen, as a Ukrainian". He added, however, that this latter was not necessarily "bad news" for Ukraine [as there will no longer be mutual demands or obligations - ed.].
"We made a choice. For some, it is Mariupol. For some, Monaco", the President said.
He underscored that Ukrainians have been holding on for these past six months with their fists clenched, fighting for their fate.
Quote from Zelenskyy: "What is the end of the war for us? We used to say: peace. Now we say: victory. We will not seek an understanding with the terrorists, even though we understand the Russian language that [the Russian forces] came to defend, killing thousands of people [they] came to liberate.
[Boris] Johnson, who speaks English, is much more understandable and close to us than the murderers, rapists and looters who spoke Russian [Zelenskyy uses the phrase "po-russki" here, which is something of a double entendre, meaning they did it in Russian, as in speaking Russian, but also "in a Russian way", implying their violence and brutality - ed.].
And fear will not make us sit down at the negotiating table, [we will not do it] with a gun pointed at our head. For us, the most terrible iron is not missiles, aircraft and tanks, but shackles. Not trenches, but chains.
And we will put our hands up only once, when we will celebrate our victory. All of Ukraine."
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