The summit in Prague is a chance to restore peace in Europe, Zelenskyy told its participants
Update: 06.10.2022 17:12
Issued by: 6/10/2022, 3:49 p.m
Prague – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy considers today’s first meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) in Prague to be an extraordinary opportunity to restore peace in Europe. The president of the country, which has been facing armed aggression from neighboring Russia since February, said this in a video speech in which he addressed four dozen people gathered at the Prague Castle. According to Zelensky, Russia, which did not receive an invitation to Prague, does not belong to Europe in terms of its values. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who is in charge of today’s meeting, praised Zelenský directly in the meeting hall, according to information from ČTK. For a contribution to the President of Ukraine on twitter the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, who is personally participating in the Prague negotiations, also thanked.
In an interview with Czech Television, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal thanked the Czechs for their help to Ukraine, which has been resisting Russian aggression since February.
“There are no representatives of Russia here with us – a state that geographically seems to belong to Europe, but in terms of its values and behavior it is the most anti-European state in the world,” Zelenskyy said according to the transcript speechwhich his office published on its website.
Zelenskyj praised the creation of a new political initiative and format of cooperation within Europe, which includes members of the European Union as well as states that apply for membership, as well as candidate countries and partners of the North Atlantic Alliance. Europe is in a strong position to end the war in Ukraine, Zelenskyy said, adding that his country never wanted and instead agreed to peace. He thanked all partners for their support and listed several reasons that, according to Kiev, make Moscow the sole culprit of the war.
According to Zelensky, Russia kills, intimidates, blackmails with a nuclear threat, redraws borders and attacks civilian targets. According to the Ukrainian president, Russia needs to be defeated already in Ukraine, otherwise there is a risk that aggression will threaten other countries as well. He also pointed to the disrespect he says Russian officials show to the United Nations when they veto joint declarations.
“We all appreciate the progress that Ukraine is making in the fight against the Russian aggressor – the successful offensives are proof of this and I believe that it will continue to do well. Europe must continue to help to help it win,” he wrote today on twitter Czech Prime Minister Fiala.
“Thank you, dear (President) Zelenskyi, for joining us at the first meeting of the European Political Community in Prague. Europe is with you and the Ukrainian people,” wrote Michel, posting a photo from the broadcast. One of the goals of today’s EPC meeting in Prague is to show support for Ukraine and also how far Russia, which attacked neighboring Ukraine in February this year, is now isolated in Europe.
Prime Minister Šmyhal expects the leaders’ meeting in Prague to give impetus to a new perspective on security and on the development and post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. He said this in an interview with Czech Television, in which he also thanked the Czech Republic for the political and military support of Ukraine in defense against the Russian invasion. “We appreciate it a lot,” said Šmyhal. He mentioned on this occasion the collection in which people contributed to the purchase of a tank for the Ukrainian army.
According to the Ukrainian Prime Minister, dozens of bilateral negotiations await him in Prague, many of them on the supply of weapons. Shmyhal highlighted the unity of European states in their stance towards “atrocities that are being committed in Ukraine”.
“First of all, I would like to thank the Czech people for their colossal support of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. We know very well that they collected money, bought a tank for Ukraine, support us in terms of sanctions, sanctions policy. They support our efforts to become a member of the European Union,” said Šmyhal. He also appreciated Prime Minister Fiala’s visit to Kyiv. The head of the Czech government went to the Ukrainian metropolis after the start of the war between the first in February.
