90 winter days will determine future of Ukraine and Europe - Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes that winter will be "the most difficult" for entire world and will decide Ukraine’s and Europe’s future.
It's going to be a difficult phase-we have to get through this winter. It is the toughest winter the world will ever see. These are 90 days, which will be a test of our faith in victory, a test of our endurance and unity, our ability to defend ourselves, freedom and fundamental values for anyone in the world. Russia is doing its best to break the resistance of Ukraine, Europe and the world during these 90 days," he said on Friday, speaking at the 17th annual meeting of Yalta European Strategy (YES) in Kyiv, informs Censor.NЕТ referring to Interfax-Ukraine.
Calling this period Russia's "last argument," Zelensky said that "there are 90 days ahead that will decide more than 30 years of Ukraine's independence. 90 days, which will decide all the years of EU existence, will determine our future.
"We have no doubt that we can get through the winter period without Russian energy resources. Not only Ukraine, but all respectable countries. But for this to happen, it is very important not to allow any Russian sabotage - armed, political, it is very important not to allow Russian disinformation steps. We need more coordination, toughness of pressure on Russia," he said.
To complete the dismantling of Russian influence, he said, "is necessary now before those crucial 90 days".
Sanctions against Russia, banks and companies must be toughened during the fall. It is necessary to agree on all mechanisms of real restriction of Russian export revenues, to provide a legal and political basis for the introduction of an international compensation mechanism and confiscation of Russian revenues abroad to compensate the people of Ukraine for the damage caused by this war. We need maximum visa restrictions for Russian citizens to push them into a visible anti-war movement," Zelensky said.
Zelensky stressed that "we must protect our skies. This is important precisely in winter, when Russian missiles can and will target businesses and infrastructure that provide people with heat and electricity. Now is the time for partners to fulfill their obligations - to help Ukraine with systemic air defense".
Also, he said, "now is the time to end the crisis created by Russia at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. The threat of a nuclear catastrophe is definitely not something the European Union, Turkey and other countries have to go into winter with. What matters is stable functioning of Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The Ukrainian power system can become one of the elements of guaranteeing and stable energy consumption throughout Europe for 90 days".
We must, he stressed, prepare our societies for real risks.
"Winter will be hard for everyone, from Latvia and Poland to Britain and the United States. But we must make sure that this winter will be the hardest for Russia. For those responsible for the problems created - military, social, price, energy, others. We can make the path to our victory clearer in 90 days," said the President.
He stressed that "after those 90 days, the real protection for decades against all the threats that are painfully present now begins. When we have passed all this, our neighbor will never be able to do anything to us. Russia is on the path of its historic defeat and the clarity of this path, the contours of its defeat will become visible after these 90 days, if we are all honest and enduring.All those who value peace more than war.
Zelensky believes that "the economic unification in Europe has been achieved, the political unification in Europe has been achieved. But now the real value unification of the continent is being achieved, and, by the way, thanks to Ukraine, too. The last barriers between European countries are disappearing, and thanks to Europe's real protection of freedom.
He drew attention to the fact that "Russia gives an illusion that Europeans have to make a choice. "Such a difficult choice between prices and values, between freedom and security, independence and calmness. But there is no such choice. When values are weak, prices are exorbitant. When freedom suffers, there is no security. When independence is lost, there is no peace. So we all have no right to stop. We need to fight, to get through the winter, to help those who are weaker, to protect those who need protection more, to limit ourselves in what can be limited, and to limit Russia," the president said.
"It is this winter that we must do everything we can to say in the spring - we are fully prepared for the start of negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the EU. It will be a historic moment, a historic time, when it will be an honor for Europe to accept a winning state," he said.
