I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!
A few key updates for today.
I held a Staff meeting where we analyzed support packages and some contracts secured over this time. There are good results on artillery contracts – Ukraine needs a solid foundation. Next – drones, an unwavering priority. Air defense – additional systems have now arrived in Ukraine from Lithuania. Thanks a lot, Mr. President. The Prime Minister of Ukraine reported today on finances for this year – we are securing all necessary funding and will get through 2025 financially. There were also some special issues concerning our national resilience on the Staff meeting agenda today – we are working on all possible scenarios to protect Ukraine. The baseline scenario is to hold positions and create conditions for proper diplomacy, for the soonest possible end to this war with a decent peace. We need peace – real, fair peace – not endless war. And we need security guarantees. It was precisely the lack of security guarantees for Ukraine 11 years ago that allowed Russia to start with the occupation of Crimea and the war in Donbas. Then, the absence of security guarantees allowed Russia to launch the full-scale invasion. And now, because there are still no defined security guarantees, it is Russia that is keeping this war going. The whole world sees this, the whole world acknowledges this.
Today, we continued working with our European partners on a special diplomatic and security framework that can bring peace closer. In particular, this is what we discussed in London recently and what we had spoken about with many world leaders before that. Ukraine, all of Europe, and America – together, we can ensure decades of peace. And for this, we must stay constructive – work together, complement each other's proposals, and speed up diplomacy to end the war.
I spoke today with the leaders of the Baltic states – Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia. A good conversation. About the outcomes of the London summit. About opportunities and perspectives on all processes involving the United States. And about defense support that saves lives of our people. I am grateful to the Baltic states for standing so firmly with Ukraine – thank you once again for your support, friends!
Glory to Ukraine!