Zelensky’s address to Congress, annotated

As delivered through interpreter

Thanks very a lot. Madam Speaker, members of the Congress, women and gents, Individuals, mates, I’m proud to greet you from Ukraine, from our capital metropolis of Kyiv, a metropolis that’s below missile and airstrikes from Russian troops on daily basis. But it surely doesn’t surrender, and we’ve got not even considered it for a second.

Similar to many different cities and communities in our stunning nation which discovered themselves within the worst warfare since World Warfare II. I’ve the distinction to greet you on behalf of the Ukrainian individuals, courageous and freedom-loving individuals who for eight years have been resisting the Russian aggression.

Those that give their finest little kids 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 shall be free, whether or not they may 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, primary human values. It threw tanks and planes towards our freedom, towards our proper to dwell freely in our personal nation selecting our personal future.

Towards our want for happiness, towards our nationwide desires, identical to the identical desires you could have, you Individuals. Similar to anybody else in the USA. I keep in mind your nationwide memorial in [Mount] Rushmore, the faces of your outstanding presidents, those that laid the inspiration of the USA of America as it’s at this time — 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 may be a regular a part of your individual life. Girls and gents, mates, Individuals, in your nice historical past, you could have pages that will can help you perceive Ukrainians, perceive us now whenever you want it proper now. Once we want you proper now.

Bear 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. Bear in mind September eleventh, a horrible day in 2001 when evil tried to show your cities, impartial territories in battlefields. When harmless individuals have been attacked from air, sure. Similar to no one else anticipated it, you can not cease it.

Our nation skilled the identical on daily basis. Proper now, at this second, each night time for 3 weeks now, varied Ukrainian cities: Odesa … [names long list of Ukrainian cities], Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky right into a supply of dying 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. This can be 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.

If that is an excessive amount of to ask, we provide an alternate. You realize what sort of protection techniques we want, S-300 and different related techniques. You understand how a lot is dependent upon the battlefield, on the flexibility to make use of plane, highly effective, robust 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.

I’ve a dream, these phrases are identified to every of you at this time. I can say, I’ve a necessity. I would like to guard our sky. I would like your resolution, your assist, which implies precisely the identical, the identical you are feeling whenever you hear the phrases, “I’ve a dream.”

Girls and gents, mates, Ukraine is grateful to the USA for its overwhelming help, for every part that your authorities and your individuals have achieved for us, for weapons and ammunition for coaching, for funds, for management within the free world, which helps us to strain the aggressor economically.

I’m grateful to President Biden for his private involvement, for his honest dedication to the protection of Ukraine and democracy everywhere in 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.

Restrictions are wanted for everybody on whom this unjust regime is predicated. We suggest that the USA sanctions all politicians within the Russian Federation who stay of their places of work and don’t lower ties with those that are liable 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 depart Russia from their market, depart their market instantly as a result of it’s flooded with our blood. Girls and gents, members of Congress, please take the lead in case you have firms in your district who finance the Russian navy machine leaving enterprise in Russia, it is best to put strain. 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 ought to be closed for Russian items. We’re — peace is extra vital than earnings and we’ve got to defend this precept in the entire world.

We already turned a part of the anti-war coalition, an enormous anti-war coalition that unites many international locations, dozens of nations, those that reacted in precept to President Putin’s resolution to invade our nation, however we have to transfer on and do extra. We have to create new instruments to reply shortly and cease the warfare, the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, which started on February twenty fourth. And it could be truthful if it led to a day, that in 24 hours, that evil can be punished instantly. Immediately the world doesn’t have such instruments. The warfare of the previous have prompted our predecessors to create establishments that ought to shield 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.

We suggest to create an affiliation U-24 united for peace, a union of accountable international locations which have the power and consciousness to cease conflicts instantly, present all the required help in 24 hours, if obligatory, even weapons if obligatory, sanctions, humanitarian help, political help, funds, every part you could maintain the peace and shortly save the world, save lives.

As well as, such affiliation, such union would supply help to those that are experiencing pure disasters, man-made disasters, who fell victims to humanitarian disaster or epidemic. Bear in mind how tough it was for the world to do the only issues, simply to present vaccines, vaccines towards Covid to save lots of lives, to stop new strains. The world spent months, years doing issues like that a lot quicker, to ensure there aren’t any human losses, no victims.

Girls and gents, Individuals, if such alliance would exist at this time, that’s U-24, we might have the ability to save 1000’s of lives in our nation. In lots of international locations of the world, those that want peace, those that undergo inhumane destruction. I ask you to observe one video, video of what the Russian troops did in our nation, in our land. We now have to cease it. We should stop it, preventably destroy each single aggressor who seeks to subjugate different nations.

Please watch the video.

[IN ENGLISH] And ultimately, to sum it up, at this time, at this time it isn’t sufficient to be the chief of the nation. Immediately 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 is dependent upon these subsequent to you, on those that are robust. Sturdy doesn’t imply weak. Sturdy is courageous and able to combat for the lifetime of his residents and residents of the world. For human rights, for freedom, for the best to dwell decently, and to die when your time comes. And never when it’s needed by another person. By your neighbor.

[IN ENGLISH] Immediately 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 this time 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 virtually 45 years previous. Immediately my age stopped when the guts of greater than 100 kids stopped beating.

I see no sense in life if it can not cease the deaths. And that is my major challenge 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.

Thanks.

[IN UKRAINIAN] Glory to Ukraine.

[IN ENGLISH] Thanks to your help.