President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the world community and emphasized that we must defeat the aggressor-country Russia. We must do it because Russia's war against Ukraine is the war against freedom as it is.
He stated this in his video message. Zelenskyy spoke English.
"This is only the beginning for Russia on the Ukrainian land. Russia is trying to defeat the freedom of all people in Europe, of all the people in the world. It tries to show that only crude and cruel force matters. It tries to show that people DO NOT matter, as well as everything else that makes us people. That's the reason we all must stop Russia. The world must stop the war,"- he said.
Zelenskyy thanked all those who support Ukraine and freedom. Then, he asked to talk about it and join protests.
"The war continues. The acts of terror against peaceful people go on. One month already. That long! It breaks my heart, hearts of all Ukrainians, and every free person on the planet. That's why I ask you to stand against the war! Starting from March 24 - exactly one month after the Russians invasion... From this day, and after then. Show your standing. Come from your offices, your homes, your schools, and universities. Come in the name of peace. Come with Ukrainian symbols to support Ukraine, to support freedom, to support life. Come to your squares, your streets. Make yourself visible and heard. " - the President emphasized.
Then, Zelenskyy addressed the citizens of Russia. He spoke in Russian:
"And now I want to address the citizens of the Russian Federation separately. I'm sure many of you hate your state's policy. Who is sick and disgusted with what you see on TV. Disgusted with the lies of your propagandists on the Internet. They get paid from your taxes and lie about the war, which is paid from your taxes as well. This war is making all the citizens of Russia poorer, and this poverty increases every day.
Isn't that stupid? Your state collects taxes from you to make you poorer. To isolate you from the world. To make it easier to control you and send you to war to die there ... That is why you, the citizens of Russia, are also interested in peace. Save your sons from war. Tell the truth about the war. And if you can leave Russia to avoid paying taxes to feed the war, do it. "
Zelenskyy emphasized that the war has been going on for a month - six times longer than the enemy had planned, than the Russian command reported to the Russian President.
"They were convinced that Ukraine was not a state. They were convinced that we were not a nation. They deceived themselves. But we don't care about them. This is the suicide of their state. And we are just defending our lives. Our freedom. Our own state. Our children. And with them our future. This is the war for independence. And we must win," - the President added.
Zelenskyy is confident that new sanctions against Russia for the military invasion of Ukraine will be implemented this week.
This week, US President Joe Biden will ask the allies to implement more aggressive economic sanctions against Russia during a visit to Europe. EU leaders will also discuss the implementation of an oil embargo against the aggressor country with Biden.