Brussels 09.02.2023 On Thursday, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the Members of the European Parliament during an extraordinary plenary session in Brussels.

Opening the session President Roberta Metsola said to President Zelenskyy: “We understand that you are fighting not only for your values, but for ours.”

“Ukraine is Europe and your nation’s future is in the European Union”, President Metsola continued, adding that the European Union should offer to Ukraine the “fastest possible accession process” and, “as a next step, provide the long-range systems and the jets needed to protect the liberty too many have taken for granted.”

In his address to MEPs, President Zelenskyy focused on Russia’s attempts to annihilate not only sovereign Ukraine, but also the European “way of life”. He outlined how he sees Europe as a continent steeped in rules, values, equality and fairness, and (…) a place where Ukraine is firmly at home. The Kremlin, on the other hand, is doing its utmost to destroy European values, President Zelenskyy said, stressing how Ukraine is protecting Europe from this anti-European force.

Zelensky expressed gratitude to all Europeans who have supported Ukraine in the fight against the Russian invasion and all those who have helped Ukrainian refugees arriving in the EU. Looking ahead, the Ukrainian leader called on Europe to co-operate towards a common European future. However, he underlined that, for our dreams for our children and grandchildren to come true, we need peace and security. These dreams will not be possible if we do not overcome this anti-European force trying to steal our Europe from us, he concluded.

This was President Zelenskyy’s first official visit to the European Parliament, after having addressed MEPs remotely during an extraordinary session on 1 March 2022, shortly after Russia started its war against Ukraine. He also spoke before plenary on 14 December the same year, when Parliament’s 2022 Sakharov Prize was awarded to the brave people of Ukraine.

“By “acclaiming standing #Zelensky”, MEPs actually cheer their enslavement which will lead to the 3rd world war!” wrote on his Twitter page Florian PHilippot, the leader of the French Patriots party.

“These puppets of the oligarchy are grotesque, submissive and irresponsible! It is not the parade, but it is Peace that we must seek, at all costs!”