Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a powerful and uncompromising address at a Council of Europe conference in The Hague, calling for relentless pressure on Russia as global leaders launched the International Claims Commission for Ukraine.
In his speech, Zelensky declared that “Russia must feel like a criminal,” insisting that sanctions remain in place, war crimes be fully prosecuted, and compensation mechanisms function effectively so justice follows the devastation caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The conference marks a major step toward accountability, with international efforts focused on reparations, legal consequences, and long-term justice for Ukrainian victims.
00:08It is now my honor to invite the President of Ukraine,
00:12His Excellency Mr. Volodymyr Zelensky, to take the floor.
00:25Thank you very much.
00:27Thank you so much.
00:30Thank you very much, dear Prime Minister, dear Dick.
00:39Thank you so much.
00:41And dear President Sandhu Maia, dear Secretary General Berset,
00:48thank you very much for your invitation.
00:50Thank you for everything, for your support.
00:52Dear friends, ministers, and first of all,
00:57I want to tell you thank you to your nations, to your leaders, just to your people.
01:02This is very important that all this year of this war, your nations are with us.
01:07Thank you so much for your people, for all this support, for us, for Ukraine, for people, and our children,
01:15and for our right to defend ourselves.
01:18In every sense of the word, not only the right to physical protection, as an independent nation against external aggression,
01:31but also the right to live, right to live a normal life, safely, like everyone in Europe or any other part of the world deserves.
01:42Today and this year, things are being created for Ukraine that should have started a long time ago, at least back in 2014.
01:55But, really, in fact, considering how many wars Russia has started, or supported, this should have happened even earlier.
02:06Europe has a very, very long history of wars, and it cannot afford to treat this lightly.
02:14All pressure on Russia must remain in place as long as occupation of our land continues.
02:21Russia must feel that it is a criminal and face consequences for that as long as our people remain in Russian captivity,
02:32and until the Ukrainian children abducted by Russia are brought home.
02:38Sanctions must limit Russia until it shows respect for peaceful life and the rights of its neighbors.
02:49And, of course, of course, every Russian war crime must have consequences for those who committed them.
02:59We hope that the tribunal for Russian aggression will truly begin its work, not just for us, but for everyone who wants peace in Europe.
03:12We expect that every mechanism for compensation from the Register of Damage and Claims Commission to the actual payments will start working and receive strong, strong and sufficient international support so that people can truly feel that any kind of damage caused by the war can be compensated.
03:37This war and Russia's responsibility for it must become a clear example so that others long not to choose aggression.
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