07.09.

23

Volodymyr Zelenskyi's speech on

Ukraine's Independence Day

The great nation of great Ukraine, celebrating a great day today - Independence
Day! The holiday of free people. The holiday of strong people. Feast of the worthy.
A holiday of equals. Ukrainian men and women. All of them. Throughout our
country.

Today we celebrate the 32nd anniversary of our independence - the independence

of Ukraine. This is a value for each of us. And we are fighting for that. And in this
struggle, everyone is important. Because this is a fight for what is important to
everyone. This is independent Ukraine.
There are no small matters in a great war. There are no unnecessary ones. There
are no unimportant ones. This applies to people, actions, and words.

When we celebrate the independence of Ukraine, everyone can feel themselves in

it. Everyone can ask themselves: where are you in Ukrainian independence? And
what is added to your independence? And how did you help independence? And
today I want to dedicate this greeting to you. To you, who gives independence to
Ukraine.

To you, warrior! You stood up for Ukraine. I thank every soldier and sailor, every
sergeant and foreman, every officer, every general.

To you - the father of the Ukrainian soldier, to you - the mother of the Ukrainian
defender. To all Ukrainian families who raised in their children love for Ukraine
and the courage to defend it with all their might.
Thank you to everyone who is waiting for their relatives from the front, to
everyone who prays for them every day, who calls or writes such an important
"How are you?", to hear such a desirable "Everything is fine!" Such a precious "I
love you"... "Our son took his first step yesterday"... "Daughter said: "Daddy"
today... Every word is important. And everyone who does so that this word can be
said and heard is important. Who provides communication in the country.
Communication between people. And it's more than just communication. It is a
connection with life. Words of support. Words of thanks. And, unfortunately, the
words that are the most painful in war: "He is no more..."
Many Ukrainians lost loved ones because of the war. Heroes, thanks to whom we
did not lose Ukraine. I thank and bow to each and every one of them.
Last week I visited our combat brigades. Command posts, locations of brigades.
And there is something that unites them all.

One additional unique armor helps our warriors. Armor of humanity. The armor of
sincerity. These are children's drawings. They can be seen in every brigade. On the
walls, in the rooms. Drawings for father or brother. Or for soldiers the child may
not even know, but supports. Supports, because these are Ukrainian soldiers. And
this for them is the main goal of the offensive, where every step forward is so
important, but a step back is so impossible. Because it is you, our children, who are
behind. Ukrainian children, it is you who create these pictures. And I want to tell
you - every boy and every girl: you have no idea how important it is when you
support our soldiers. I thank you!
I thank every Ukrainian mother for whom our country is and will remain a home.
Despite the fact that I had to go because of the war. And when, in any country, a
mother gives her child a book in Ukrainian so that the child does not lose herself
and hers, when a mother teaches Ukrainian, when she worries about Ukraine and
waits for news from Ukraine, waits to be able to return, this is the most important
thing. Because you are important. All Ukrainians! No matter where you have to be
now.
I want to thank all working Ukrainian teachers who were able to work even online.
Who are building an educated future even where the enemy has destroyed schools.
And everyone who works miracles live. Thousands of Ukrainian doctors who save
thousands of lives. Ukrainian doctors. Medical nurses. Medical brothers. Combat
medics. Those who 24/7 do not let go of life and fight for it. Whether or not there
is an air raid siren. Regardless of whether there is an "arrival". Whether you are on
the front or in civilian life... I thank you!