Volodymyr Zelenskyi also assured that F-16 fighters will soon be seen in the sky of Ukraine.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi I said in a late Sunday evening speech in the New Year’s speech, that Ukraine has become even stronger to overcome great difficulties. February marks two years since the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
President Zelenskyi said the war has taught Ukrainians to withstand Russian attacks and adapt to hardships such as power outages and threats to the ability of industry to operate and export its products.
– The most important result of the year, its most important achievement, is that Ukraine has become stronger. Ukrainians have become stronger, he said.
– We survived the beginning of 2023, in January and February, without exaggerating the most difficult winter in our history. We showed that Ukrainians are tougher than cold and darkness. Stronger than power outages and their threat, the president said.
– Ukrainians will survive the energy shortage because we have no shortage of perseverance and courage. We didn’t fade into darkness. The darkness did not swallow us. We defeated the darkness.
Zelenskyi assured that the F-16 fighter jets received from the Western allies will definitely be seen in the sky of Ukraine soon. He also repeated his promise to increase Ukrainian arms production and said that, among other things, at least one million drones will be produced this year.
The 20-minute video speech, recorded in the president’s office in Kyiv, contained few direct references to the situation on the front lines or the modest success of Ukraine’s counteroffensive launched in June. Zelenskyi also did not very clearly refer to the political and diplomatic difficulties that Ukraine has recently had in obtaining military and other aid both in the US Congress and in the European Union.
– Ukrainians are stronger than any intrigue, attempts to weaken global solidarity or destabilize the coalition of our allies, Zelenskyi said, however.
The smooth-talking video speech was illustrated with, among other things, footage of attacks on various cities and the president’s meetings with the leaders of Ukraine’s western allies.
At the end of his speech, Zelenskyi returned to the theme of strength.
– Just like a year ago, we say today: “We don’t know for sure what the new year will bring.” This year, however, we can add: “No matter what, we are stronger now.”
Sources: Reuters, AFP