Zelenskyy addresses British Parliament: deputies applauded standing
Photo: OPU
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked members of the British House of Commons and the government of Boris Johnson to help Ukraine in the war with Russia
This was reported by Reuters
He quoted Prime Minister Winston Churchill and a line from William Shakespeare.
"We didn't start this war, and we didn't want this war. But we don't want to lose what belongs to us, our independence, and our Ukraine. Just as you once did not want to lose your country when the Nazis tried to capture it.
Zelenskyy stressed that 13 days of struggle had passed.
"On the first day at 4 o'clock in the morning, we were attacked by missiles. Everyone woke up, adults and children, all of Ukraine. From this moment, we don't sleep; we are all fighting for our country together with our army.
More than 50 children died in 13 days of hostilities. These children could live, but the occupiers took their lives," the president said.
Zelenskyy stressed that the country was saving its people, despite the fact that we are fighting one of the largest armies in the world.
"The question for us now is: to be or not to be? This Shakespearean question could be asked by every Ukrainian for the last 13 days, but now we have the answer, unequivocally, yes, to be.
We will not give up and we will not lose. We will fight to the end in the air and on earth, we will fight for our land. We will fight in the forests and fields, on the coast, and on the streets of our cities.
I would like to add: we will fight on the banks of our rivers, including the Dnieper. And we will hope for your help, the help of civilized countries," the President stressed.
Zelenskyy also told British lawmakers about how the Russian occupiers fired at Ukrainian cities with artillery, missiles, and aircraft, killing civilians and causing significant damage.
In addition, Zelenskyy said that citizens in places of active hostilities were surrounded and suffered from a lack of water, food, and medicine, without light and heat.
He called on Johnson and his government to step up sanctions on Russia, continue to help Ukraine with weapons, and try to persuade NATO allies to close the skies over Ukraine.
After Zelenskyy's speech, all members of parliament and guests in the boxes applauded for almost a minute while standing.
House Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, opposition leader Keir Starmer, and several other prominent politicians wore blue and yellow ribbons to their chests, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson wore a badge with Ukrainian and British flags.
British Prime Minister Johnson said that since the end of World War II, British parliamentarians hadn't had a chance to listen to such a moving speech from European leaders.
Johnson stressed that these days the whole world is proud to hear the phrase "I am Ukrainian!"
Opposition leader Starmer noted Zelenskyy's personal courage and bravery. The politician ended his speech by shouting "Glory to Ukraine!" in Ukrainian.
Representatives of other parties expressed their support for Ukraine and called on all to postpone political differences in order to work together to put pressure on Russia and help Ukrainians.
