Christmas with Ukraine – how world leaders celebrate the war and Ukrainians during the celebration — World — tsn.ua
During the Christmas holidays, words of support for Ukraine, which is resisting Russian aggression, are heard all over the world.
On the eve of Christmas, world leaders traditionally address the citizens of their countries with speeches. this year, in the context of Russian aggression against Ukraine, the words about the peace that must come came from their mouths. Many expressed support for the male Ukrainian people in their speeches.
TSN.ua we suggest that you familiarize yourself with how world leaders spoke about the war in Ukraine and how they supported Ukrainians during the Christmas holidays.
Germany
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in his Christmas address said, that the Germans should support those under attack. According to him, Ukraine defends itself with great courage, and Europe is united.
“Until peace comes, we must support those who are attacked, threatened and oppressed. The brutal Russian attack on Ukraine, the return of the war to Europe, the terrible promotions of Ukrainians, as well as the fear of escalation of hostilities – all this scares many people in our country,” he emphasized.
The President of the Federal Republic of Germany stated that “our biggest wish this year is for peace to come again.”
“It should be a just peace that does not encourage the seizure of land and does not leave the people of Ukraine face to face with the arbitrariness and population of the occupiers,” Steinmeier emphasized.
Belgium
King Philippe of Belgium devoted to the war in Ukraine a large part of the traditional Christmas address to the nation. The monarch recalled the innocent victims of the Sredets and thanked his fellow citizens for helping Ukrainian refugees.
“A cruel and senseless war that claims to replace the force of law with the law of force. This conflict reminds us of a past that we thought was gone forever,” King Philip said.
The monarch expressed the certainty of conviction that Ukrainians are fighting for the same ideals of “freedom and” that the Belgians themselves fought for in the past.
“We will continue to support them… We see many commitments and gestures of solidarity around us. All over the country, our fellow citizens have spontaneously opened their homes to Ukrainian refugees,” Philip said.
United Kingdom
Prime Minister of Great Britain Rishi Sunak published a moving video in support of Ukraine on the eve of Christmas.
The video compares the lives of two girls from Ukraine and Great Britain. They are both preparing for Christmas, but in the British child the pre-holiday period is full of happiness, the Ukrainian girl hears the air alarm signals every day.
And yet, even in the dark, the Ukrainian girl receives a gift – it is from her British friend, who, like millions of people in the world, supported the young Ukrainian woman and added a little light to her holiday.
USA
The first lady of America, Jill Biden, also mentioned Ukrainians on the eve of Christmas.
In her post on Twitter, she recalled how earlier this year the St. Jude specialized clinic accepted Ukrainian children with cancer in the United States to continue their care.
At the beginning of this year @StJude welcomed Ukrainian children with cancer to the United States to continue their care. Shortly after they arrived, I went to St. Jude’s to greet these resilient children and their families.
Joe and I are thinking of these families this Christmas. pic.twitter.com/ywx83doktB
— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) December 24, 2022
“Shortly after they arrived, I went to St. Jude’s to greet these resilient children and their families. this Christmas, Joe and I are thinking about this family,” the wife of the US president wrote.
Vatican
Pope Francis in his Christmas Eve sermon hinted at the war in Ukraine, announcing that the level of greed for power in the world is so great that some want to “absorb even their neighbors.”
“I think especially of the children who are consumed by war, poverty and injustice,” the Pope said.
After Russia invaded Ukraine, Francis spoke out against the war at almost every public event, condemning what he called atrocities and unprovoked aggression. However, he did not specifically mention Ukraine in his sermon on Christmas Eve.
Poland
Polish President Andrzej Duda, in a short Christmas greeting posted on Twitter, only hinted at the war in Ukraine, wishing for peace “in the world and near our borders” this holiday season.
He also wrote that, first of all, “peace in hearts” should help overcome all difficulties.
Baltic countries
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, wishing Merry Christmas on Twitter, also spoke about the need in the world.
“Let’s all together wish for peace to come to every country and every home. Let’s never stop believing in the miracle of Christmas. Let faith and hope fill your hearts tonight. Merry Christmas!” – he wrote.
Let’s all together wish for peace to come to every country and every home.
Let us never stop believing in the miracle of Christmas.
Let faith and hope fill your hearts tonight. Merry Christmas! pic.twitter.com/v3RT9SXds8
— Gitanas Nauseda (@GitanasNauseda) December 24, 2022
The President of Latvia, Egils Levits, published a post a little earlier in which he, together with Nauseda and the President of Estonia, Alar Karis, symbolically pour candles in the trenches.
“During Christmas, Ukrainians fight in the trenches… This is moral support and confirmation that we continue and will support Ukraine until its victory,” he wrote.
this, the Russian army on December 24 spent several hours shelling Kherson using, probably, “Gradiv”. The dead and many injured were reported, the number of which only increased during the day. The enemy attack was directed at the market, shopping center, residential buildings, administrative buildings.
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