If the world treated the situation in Ukraine as its own, the catastrophic development of the events in the war with russia could be stopped. If the world's high and mighty did not flirt with russia but actually pressured it to end the war.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said this in his video address.
"Exactly eight years ago, on 26 May 2022, the Donetsk airport stopped its work. There is still a message about this: "Attention! From 7 a.m., Donetsk Airport is temporarily suspending flights. The resumption of the work of the airport will be announced in a separate message," - reminded Zelenskyy.
He noted that apparently, that day, no one could foresee how events would develop in Donbas during these years. And no one could foresee what would happen to the whole of Ukraine after a full-scale invasion. No one predicted how long the word "temporary" would stay in this airport announcement.
The President of Ukraine noted that the EU has been trying to agree on the sixth package of sanctions against russia for several weeks now. Russia currently receives almost a billion euros a day from Europeans for energy supplies.
"Where did the power of those blocking the sixth package come from? Why are they allowed to have so much power, particularly within internal European procedures? For weeks now, the world has not dared to block the russian banking system - all banks without exception, to deprive the aggressor of the opportunity to finance the war against us and the policy of creating discords and crises around the world," - asked the President.
He added that Ukraine would still not receive all the weapons, including the MLRS, needed to change the course of battles and start moving faster and more confidently to expel the occupiers.
"The current offensive of the occupiers in Donbas may make this region uninhabited. The russians want to destroy Popasna, Bakhmut, Lyman, Lysychansk, and Sievierodonetsk in flames. Like they did with Volnovakha and Mariupol. In cities and amalgamated communities closer to the russian border, in Donetsk and Luhansk, the russians gather everyone they can to substitute those killed and wounded from the occupiers' personnel. All these things, including the deportation of our people and the mass murders of civilians, is an apparent policy of genocide conducted by russia," - said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The President recalled that on 26 May 2022, the russians fired rounds at Kharkiv again. Currently, the list of victims includes nine dead people and 19 wounded; all victims are civilians. A baby (five months old) and a father were killed, mother's condition is severe. Among the wounded in Kharkiv, there is also a nine-year-old girl.
In addition, the russians launched missile strikes on Sumy and Donbas, and the occupying artillery intensified its actions in the Zaporizhzhia region.
"Pressure on Russia is literally a matter of saving lives. And every day of procrastination, weakness, various disputes, or suggestions to "pacificate" the aggressor at the victim's expense means more killed Ukrainians. Moreover, it means new threats for everyone on our continent," - emphasized Zelenskyy.
He addressed the Parliament and the people of Latvia, thanking them for the assistance, including defense weapons they have provided Ukraine with and for the assistance that Latvia and the Latvian people are currently providing. If everyone in the world had the same determination to defend our joint freedom as Latvia and other partners who do not hesitate, all the evil that russia has done to Ukraine, Europe, and the world would not simply exist.
The President also spoke with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte. Zelenskyy informed him about the situation on the battlefield, about the intensification of the occupiers' actions, and they discussed how to properly strengthen Ukraine's ability to defend itself and fight these attacks back.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a new decree awarding 180 militaries of the UAF (Armed Forces of Ukraine) with state awards, 28 posthumously. As of today, the number of those who received awards has already reached 16,044.
The President of Ukraine reminded us that these days in May, Ukraine usually celebrates school graduation and congratulates boys and girls on the beginning of a new stage in life.
There is no traditional school celebration in Ukraine this year; not all the schools in Ukraine finish their classes in May; not all the graduates are currently in Ukraine.
The Prime Minister of Finland, Sanna Marin, paid a working visit to Ukraine for the first time and met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. She also visited Irpen and Bucha.