With our victory and cooperation we will prove that people matter, freedom matters, Europe matters – Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s speech to the public of Ukraine and Denmark

21 August 2023 – 14:55

Thank you!

Thank you, Speaker! It is a great honor to be here! Thank you for everything, great people of Denmark!

Thank you so much!

Hi! Hi, Copenhagen! 

Dear people of Denmark! Dear Mette, Madam Prime Minister! 

I remember how you visited Kyiv, our capital, on the 21st of April 2022.

I will say frankly these were harsh days for Ukraine. For all our people, children, for everybody. At that time, we had already decided everything for ourselves and fought how we could. But then, the world had not yet chosen how to act. And the Ukrainians had not yet known who in the world would actually be with us. As long as it takes and as true allies. Like Denmark! Like each and every one of you. Here, at this square, and in every Danish family, in every home, where you wish us victory in this battle for freedom just as we wish it! I thank you all!

Today, almost a year and a half after your visit to Ukraine, Madam Prime Minister, we can openly say that the majority of the world is like Denmark – now with us. We feel it. It’s a great support for us.

When the first Russian missiles hit our cities, warning the world about the full-scale war in the middle of Europe, the risk was simply insane. The risk that Europe will again lose itself, as it had already happened in our history. It was a risk that tyranny would win again. It was a risk that the culture would lose again.

And the worst thing is that respect, which is the basis of our free and united Europe, could be destroyed. Respect for every nation, for every community, for every person. When Europe is not ruled by respect, dictatorships would dominate Europe. And we saved our Europe from this. Saved together!

What is the price of life? War always raises this question. It is true.

When I spoke to our soldiers on the front lines, they told me about the motivation of Russian occupiers. Russian soldiers are less afraid of being killed in the battle than they are afraid of stopping aggression and returning home. A free person can even hardly imagine that. Imagine what Russia is today, if its people fear their return home more than to be killed at war. This is the worst thing tyranny does to its people – it eliminates the value of life, totally.

We will never allow Ukraine or any other country to become the same territory of disrespect for people, life, and human diversity, as the Russian state has become and wants to make other countries. We have to always remember what stands against us. And until the victory comes, we have to act the way we do with you, Denmark!

When Ukraine needs weapons, you – help. I thank you and the whole of Denmark – all the weapons you’re giving to protect freedom and for F-16s we agreed on. Thank you so much! When Russian missiles hit our power plants last winter to drive Ukraine into blackout and defeat, you helped us to live through winter. When it was needed to accommodate our people, you provided them with very generous opportunities. Thank you very much! Thank you for your attitude to our people, to Ukrainians! To all your families, all your houses, all your people, all your cities! Thank you very much, Denmark! And when I asked you about support for our port city and region of Mykolaiv, which endlessly suffers from the Russian terror – you gave such support without delay… Thank you! Thank all of you!

Dear friends!

Today we are confident that Russia will lose this war. But this is not the only main thing. The main is what we prove with our victory, with our cooperation, what you prove supporting Ukraine. Together we prove that life is a value, that people matter, freedom matters, Europe matters. I’m sure it will be written in history also due to you, being with Ukraine.

I’m sure that we will win because truth is on our side. All our people are waiting for this moment. It will be a common victory of truth, of democracy, of our nations. Thank you very much for your support! After the victory we’ll come to you! Maybe, it’s not traditional to hear it from the President but I want to say it. Yes, we will come to you, sit together somewhere and we’ll say “Skål.”

Jeg takker jer Danmark!

Слава Україні!

And here is his address from late last night/early this morning. Video followed by the English transcript.

We are completing a historic visit to the Nordic countries with much-needed agreements – address by the President of Ukraine

21 August 2023 – 18:10

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

We are completing this visit to the Nordic countries. Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark. Without exaggeration, this is a historic visit for Ukraine.

Crucial agreements with Sweden. In particular, defense agreements. We will produce CV-90, powerful combat vehicles, in Ukraine. Our warriors are very satisfied with these vehicles.

Mr. Kristersson, the entire Government of Sweden, all Swedish people… Thank you!

The Netherlands – as always, productive. This time, particularly. We can get 42 F-16 jets for Ukraine. We will get them.

I thank you, Mark, Prime Minister, your entire team, and the people of the Netherlands!

Denmark – 19 more F-16s, plus we are expanding our training. Thank you, Denmark! Dear Mette, Madam Prime Minister, the entire government team… Folketing! Thank you very much!

It was an honor for me to address the Danish Parliament. I thank the powerful people of Denmark. Our common priority – of all Europeans – is that all peoples on all continents can equally enjoy a secure life. The more stability there is in the world, the more stability there is in our European home.

In all three countries, we discussed new defense support packages for the warriors, political cooperation and Peace Formula. I would like to express special gratitude to Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark for supporting the Peace Formula. Peace is always the result of joint efforts, it is always security in all spheres of life. And we will achieve it: for Ukraine, for the world. Russia will not be able to undermine global security.

Separately, I would like to thank the United States of America for supporting our freedom and our aviation coalition.

The F-16 is an aircraft made by the United States. It is very important that President Biden, his team… especially through the efforts of his National Security Advisor Sullivan, both parties of the US Congress, millions and millions of Americans support us in the battle for freedom, for independence, for our people… Thank you, America!

The work of politicians is unity. More unity. More power. When unity grows stronger, even things that seemed fantastic to someone before become possible.

Ukraine will have F-16s. We are not stopping. We will be giving more strength to our country.

Glory to Ukraine!

Klischiivka:

https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1693654193603497998

Bakhmut:

https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1693568712572330133

Kharkiv:

https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1693537338129858561

Robotyne:

https://twitter.com/Tatarigami_UA/status/1693659276621889999

Amidst russia’s attempt to downplay Robotyne as a negligible village in what seems like a damage control attempt, they often emphasize the size of the settlement or its population. They conveniently overlook mentioning the actual scale of allocated resources to keep that village, a crucial aspect surpassing the village’s mere physicality on a map.

I’ll refrain from asserting that russian lines are on the brink of collapse and their forces defeated – it’s unfortunate that their units successfully executed a tactical retreat, averting encirclement and potential neutralization. The effectiveness of minefields, fortifications, anti-tank trenches, and similar engineering obstacles becomes significant only when they are adequately manned and remain under fire control.

Unfortunately, their retreat affords them the opportunity to maintain the presence of manned trenches and supervised minefields. However, the exact count and resource availability involved remains uncertain. Considering the available open-source loss data, it’s apparent that Russian forces are experiencing a continued degradation of troops, potentially necessitating the deployment of supplementary troops to rectify the deteriorating situation.

If russians were to pursue this as their next move, the remaining question pertains to whether Ukraine has the necessary forces to build upon the achieved success – a question to which I currently lack an answer.

Nonetheless, this stands as an important development, and russia’s attempt to undermine its significance only serves as evidence that things aren’t so great as russians want to portray.

Chernihiv:

https://twitter.com/Tatarigami_UA/status/1693372966501777726

https://twitter.com/maria_avdv/status/1693653749326127544

Moscow:

https://twitter.com/maria_avdv/status/1693495030986498145

That’s all I’ve got for tonight. Should be back to a more normal update tomorrow evening.

Your daily Patron!

There are no new Patron tweets or videos tonight, so here’s some adjacent material.

https://twitter.com/UAarmy_animals/status/1692176007946772919

https://twitter.com/UAarmy_animals/status/1691589287454675399

https://twitter.com/UAarmy_animals/status/1691546223247847424

https://twitter.com/UAarmy_animals/status/1691516974080172032

https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1693692309647327387

Open thread!