President of Ukraine: We are 730 Days Closer to Victory
On the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Ukrainians from the Gostomel airport, where European leaders who had come to support the country gathered that day.
"I can say it in one sentence: Two years ago, we met the enemy landing force here with fire; two years later, we meet our friends and partners here. Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni, Chairman of the G7. Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. Alexander De Kroo, Prime Minister of Belgium, President of the European Council. And this symbolically and eloquently describes the path we have travelled over these two years and the difference between 24 February then and now," Zelenskyy said.
The following is a direct speech.
"We are 730 days closer to victory. Someone is waiting for some soothsayer to tell us when it will come, but millions of Ukrainians simply remember the words of Kobzar: fight and you will overcome! And they have been following this for 730 days of dedication and courage. They have been hardening in the east, in the south and in the north, in all areas where our soldiers are fighting. 730 days of resilience and endurance. They stand as pillars in all civilian towns and villages. And today, each of us will call ours. To hear our native voices, to wish each other what we are waiting for. And today, unfortunately, each of us has someone to keep silent about. And to honour their memory. And together we bow our heads. 730 days of pain.
But at the same time, 730 days of hope. For the highest justice, which is that we all have different stories of the beginning of the war, but there must be a single ending to this war and there will be - victory. And remembering everything that has happened in these two years, you realise that it cannot be otherwise. Remembering what Ukrainians have already done, you know that we can do it. We can do it. We will succeed. And here, in this place, you understand best of all: the metal may fail, but not the Ukrainians. You can burn the plane, but you cannot destroy the dream. The dream with which each of us falls asleep and wakes up for 730 days, with which you, you, all of us, all our citizens, all Ukrainians fall asleep.
A nation that survived the first three days. And did not fall on the fourth. And won the fifth day. And then - a month. And then - six months. And now - two years. Battles for freedom. The battle for life, which is being heroically waged by incredible people, to whom I always say in my addresses: "Great people of a great country".
Any normal person wants the war to end. But none of us will allow our Ukraine to end.
That is why we always add "on our terms" to the words "end of the war". That is why the word "peace" is always followed by "just". That is why in the future history, the word "independent" will always stand next to the word "Ukraine". We are fighting for it. For 730 days of our lives. And we will win. On the best day of our lives.
I thank all our soldiers. I thank our people. And to everyone in the world who stands with us and the truth.
Glory to Ukraine!