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As delivered by way of interpreter
Thanks very a lot. Madam Speaker, members of the Congress, women and gents, People, pals, I’m proud to greet you from Ukraine, from our capital metropolis of Kyiv, a metropolis that’s beneath missile and airstrikes from Russian troops on daily basis. However it doesn’t quit, and now we have not even thought of it for a second.
Zelensky is chatting with the US Congress from a warfare zone. Reasonably than convene within the ornate and formal Home chamber, senators and congressional members are gathered in an auditorium within the Capitol complicated.
Similar to many different cities and communities in our lovely nation which discovered themselves within the worst warfare since World Conflict II. I’ve the glory to greet you on behalf of the Ukrainian individuals, courageous and freedom-loving individuals who for eight years have been resisting the Russian aggression.
Russia annexed the Ukrainian territory of Crimea in 2014 and fomented a separatist riot within the east of the nation. Ukraine’s then-President Petro Poroshenko addressed a joint session of Congress in person and asked US lawmakers for extra direct help to face as much as Russia. The Obama administration granted safety help however not deadly help. The battle simmered on, leaving some 14,000 individuals lifeless within the years main as much as Russia’s full invasion of Ukraine in February.
Those that give their finest little children to cease this full-scale Russian invasion. Proper now the future of our nation is being determined. The future of our individuals, whether or not Ukrainians can be free, whether or not they’ll have the ability to protect their democracy. Russia has attacked not simply us, not simply our land, not simply our cities; it went on a brutal offensive towards our values, fundamental human values. It threw tanks and planes towards our freedom, towards our proper to dwell freely in our personal nation selecting our personal future.
These phrases communicate on to the basics of American authorities — life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and the flexibility of individuals to decide on their authorities.
Towards our need for happiness, towards our nationwide desires, identical to the identical desires you may have, you People. Similar to anybody else in america. I keep in mind your nationwide memorial in [Mount] Rushmore, the faces of your distinguished presidents, those that laid the muse of america of America as it’s at the moment — democracy, independence, freedom and care for everybody, for each individual, for everybody who works diligently, who lives actually, who respects the legislation.
We in Ukraine need the identical for our individuals. All that could be a regular a part of your personal life. Women and gents, pals, People, in your nice historical past, you may have pages that may help you perceive Ukrainians, perceive us now once you want it proper now. Once we want you proper now.
Right here, Zelensky is basically saying, “Assist us and our democracy. Assist us emulate you.”
Keep in mind Pearl Harbor. Horrible morning of December 7, 1941, when your sky was black from the planes attacking you. Simply keep in mind it. Keep in mind September 11th, a horrible day in 2001 when evil tried to show your cities, unbiased territories in battlefields. When harmless individuals had been attacked from air, sure. Similar to no one else anticipated it, you would not cease it.
December 7, a day that President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated would “dwell in infamy” in an deal with to Congress. September 11, a day that led the US to ask NATO allies for assist. These are additionally days by which the US was attacked from the sky. At present, Zelensky desires a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
Our nation skilled the identical on daily basis. Proper now, at this second, each evening for 3 weeks now, numerous Ukrainian cities: Odesa … [names long list of Ukrainian cities], Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky right into a supply of demise for 1000’s of individuals. Russian troops have already fired almost 1,000 missiles at Ukraine, numerous bombs, they use drones to kill us with precision. It is a terror that Europe has not seen for 80 years and we’re asking for our life for a solution to this terror from the entire world.
Is that this lots to ask for, to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine to save lots of individuals? Is that this an excessive amount of to ask? Humanitary, no-fly zone, one thing that Russia will be unable to terrorize our free cities.
The Biden administration has repeatedly rejected Zelensky’s requires NATO to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine — or switch fighter jets to Ukraine — arguing it might draw the US into an active war with Russia and is a recipe for World Conflict III. Army consultants have questioned whether or not a no-fly zone would cease the assaults.
If that is an excessive amount of to ask, we provide another. You already know what sort of protection techniques we want, S-300 and different related techniques. You understand how a lot depends upon the battlefield, on the flexibility to make use of plane, highly effective, sturdy aviation to guard our individuals, our freedom, our land. Aircrafts that may assist Ukraine, assist Europe and you understand that they exist and you’ve got them however they’re on Earth, not in Ukraine — within the Ukrainian sky. They don’t defend our individuals.
Zelensky asks for different kinds of assist — direct assist that’s lower than a no-fly zone, including Soviet-made S-300 air defense missile systems, which might be offered by different nations. However Biden has additionally rejected proposals to provide Ukraine US fighter jets and likewise to give Poland American jets in order that nation might offload its Soviet-era jets to Ukraine.
I’ve a dream, these phrases are identified to every of you at the moment. I can say, I’ve a necessity. I want to guard our sky. I want your choice, your assist, which suggests precisely the identical, the identical you are feeling once you hear the phrases, “I’ve a dream.”
Zelensky has spoken to the EU parliament, the UK parliament and the Canadian parliament, every time with a tailor-made message. Right here he invokes statements made by American civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr., a lot as he did with well-known statements by Churchill earlier than the UK parliament.
Women and gents, pals, Ukraine is grateful to america for its overwhelming help, for every thing that your authorities and your individuals have finished for us, for weapons and ammunition for coaching, for funds, for management within the free world, which helps us to stress the aggressor economically.
The US permitted $13.6 billion for Ukraine as a part of an enormous spending invoice that was signed into legislation this week.
I’m grateful to President Biden for his private involvement, for his honest dedication to the protection of Ukraine and democracy all around the world. I’m grateful to you for the decision which acknowledges all those that commit crimes towards Ukraine, towards the Ukrainian individuals as warfare criminals. Nevertheless, now, it’s true within the darkest time for our nation, for the entire Europe, I name on you to do extra. New packages of sanctions are wanted, always, each week till the Russian navy machine stops.
Zelensky has repeatedly expressed his gratitude for US and NATO help, whereas repeatedly calling on the West to provide extra help and apply extra stress on Russia.
Restrictions are wanted for everybody on whom this unjust regime is predicated. We suggest that america sanctions all politicians within the Russian Federation who stay of their places of work and don’t minimize ties with those that are accountable for the aggression towards Ukraine, from state Dumas members to the final official who has lack of ethical to interrupt this state terror. All [American companies] should go away Russia from their market, go away their market instantly as a result of it’s flooded with our blood. Women and gents, members of Congress, please take the lead if in case you have firms in your district who finance the Russian navy machine leaving enterprise in Russia, you need to put stress. I’m asking to be sure that the Russians don’t obtain a single penny that they use to destroy individuals in Ukraine. The destruction of our nation, the destruction of Europe. All American ports must be closed for Russian items. We’re — peace is extra vital than revenue and now we have to defend this precept in the entire world.
The severity of sanctions by the US and the West has been nothing wanting outstanding. Russia is about to default on foreign loans as quickly as this week. However Zelensky desires extra to be finished. Sanction all Russian politicians, not simply particular ones, he argues. Require US firms to go away Russian markets.
By saying “peace is extra vital than revenue,” Zelensky is suggesting that some issues — the protection of democracy and the worldwide rules-based order — are extra vital than the harm that sanctions will do to the worldwide financial system.
We already turned a part of the anti-war coalition, a giant anti-war coalition that unites many nations, dozens of nations, those that reacted in precept to President Putin’s choice to invade our nation, however we have to transfer on and do extra. We have to create new instruments to reply rapidly and cease the warfare, the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, which started on February 24th. And it might be honest if it led to a day, that in 24 hours, that evil could be punished instantly. At present the world doesn’t have such instruments. The warfare of the previous have prompted our predecessors to create establishments that ought to defend us from warfare, however they sadly don’t work. We see it, you see it, so we want new ones, new establishments, new alliances and we provide them.
If Russia had been to assault a NATO member, NATO allies could be compelled to come back to that nation’s protection beneath Article 5 of the organization’s charter. However Ukraine shouldn’t be a member of the alliance, and Biden and different NATO leaders have stated they don’t have any plans to ship troops into the nation.
We suggest to create an affiliation U-24 united for peace, a union of accountable nations which have the energy and consciousness to cease conflicts instantly, present all the required help in 24 hours, if vital, even weapons if vital, sanctions, humanitarian help, political help, funds, every thing you could hold the peace and rapidly save the world, save lives.
That is an fascinating concept — a brand new worldwide settlement that seems like a substitute for NATO, of which Ukraine shouldn’t be a member, and the United Nations, the place Russia has the flexibility to veto most issues as a everlasting member of the Safety Council. Zelensky may additionally be searching for to signal less of a desire for Ukraine to join NATO, a purple line for Putin.
As well as, such affiliation, such union would offer help to those that are experiencing pure disasters, man-made disasters, who fell victims to humanitarian disaster or epidemic. Keep in mind how troublesome it was for the world to do the only issues, simply to provide vaccines, vaccines towards Covid to save lots of lives, to stop new strains. The world spent months, years doing issues like that a lot sooner, to ensure there aren’t any human losses, no victims.
The world continues to be very far behind in giving entry to Covid-19 vaccines to growing nations. Zelensky additionally appears to nod to local weather change right here, which consultants say will grow to be the main worldwide menace.
Women and gents, People, if such alliance would exist at the moment, that’s U-24, we might have the ability to save 1000’s of lives in our nation. In lots of nations of the world, those that want peace, those that endure inhumane destruction. I ask you to look at one video, video of what the Russian troops did in our nation, in our land. We’ve to cease it. We should forestall it, preventably destroy each single aggressor who seeks to subjugate different nations.
Please watch the video.
The video is graphic and onerous to look at. It exhibits kids killed and wounded. Russian forces have more and more focused civilian areas, a violation of worldwide legislation.
[IN ENGLISH] And in the long run, to sum it up, at the moment, at the moment it isn’t sufficient to be the chief of the nation. At present takes to be the chief of the world. Being the chief of the world means to be the chief of peace. Peace in your nation doesn’t rely anymore solely on you and your individuals. It depends upon these subsequent to you, on those that are sturdy. Sturdy doesn’t imply weak. Sturdy is courageous and able to battle for the lifetime of his residents and residents of the world. For human rights, for freedom, for the fitting to dwell decently, and to die when your time comes. And never when it’s needed by another person. By your neighbor.
Zelensky switches to English right here and delivers a direct plea to Biden, the US President who additionally aspires to be the chief of the free world. What’s taking place to individuals in Ukraine, Zelensky says, impacts each democracy.
[IN ENGLISH] At present the Ukrainian persons are defending not solely Ukraine, we’re combating for the values of Europe and the world, [inaudible] within the identify of the longer term. That’s why at the moment the American persons are serving to not simply Ukraine, however Europe and the world, to maintain the planet alive, to maintain justice in historical past. Now I’m nearly 45 years outdated. At present my age stopped when the guts of greater than 100 kids stopped beating.
I see no sense in life if it can’t cease the deaths. And that is my essential difficulty because the chief of my individuals, nice Ukrainians, and because the chief of my nation, I’m addressing the President Biden, you’re the chief of the nation, of your nice nation. I want you to be the chief of the world. Being the chief of the world means to be the chief of peace.
It is a direct message to Biden, who has tried to make his presidency about defending democracy from autocracies, however has additionally refused to tempt World Conflict III by doing extra for Ukraine.
Thanks.
[IN UKRAINIAN] Glory to Ukraine.
[IN ENGLISH] Thanks to your help.
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