Dear Ulf, Mr. Prime Minister,
I can see Rishi, I see Mette, I'm sorry I can't see everybody but I'm happy and I know that all of you and your nations with us. Thank you so much for all this time that you supported and support us.
Dear colleagues! I am glad to greet all of you! And I am glad that this format of cooperation – Joint Expeditionary Force – is effective and becoming stronger.
Now is the time for collective efforts.
It does not mean that capabilities of one nation are too weak. It means that the task we face is too big. We need reliable geopolitical stability in Europe and, more broadly, in the whole Euro-Atlantic space.
So, we need new collective forms of cooperation and strengthening of existing ones.
Because we see what modern aggressions and terrorist attacks are. If an enemy of freedom has significant resources and boundless cynicism – like Russia, like Hamas, like other terrorists – then free nations need a really full-scale defense… Fast, as flexible as possible, not limited by outdated procedures and one that can be maintained – as long as is needed.
In our Euro-Atlantic space we have NATO. Mainly. But not all democratic nations are engaged into this form of defense.
That is why Ukraine, being on the road to NATO, is developing a system of security guarantees. And I thank those of you who joined us in this process. Geopolitical stability is the basic element for all other forms of stability. Can a nation alone guarantee geopolitical stability for itself? Definitely not. Can the main Alliance existing on our continent, NATO, do this? Yes, but only if its members know how to be allies.
Regional formats of cooperation give this very practice – knowledge of being allies. In one or another area. At one or another historical distance.
Knowledge of being allies is not gained easily. It does not come automatically.
It is not a consequence of a formal decision to join the Alliance. It is day-to-day cooperation.
These are also our coalitions – defense coalitions that help us to stand against Russia.
The capabilities of large alliances grow on the basis of meaningful local cooperation.
Currently we are working on creating new formats of cooperation and strengthening the existing ones in our region – the Black Sea region.
I visited Bucharest, and at the meeting with President Iohannis we agreed that the relations between our states, Ukraine and Romania, deserve the level of strategic partnership.
We are also working effectively in the Ukraine-Moldova-Romania triangle.
In particular, in logistical cooperation – for the export of food produced in Ukraine, which is critically important for the food security of the world. This also has potential for the energy industry of our countries – for energy independence from Russia. We have a common understanding of security challenges as well.
Ukraine has extremely important cooperation with Bulgaria and Türkiye.
We all have to remember that joint security and development of the economy, infrastructure in the Black Sea region are some of the keys to the geopolitical stability of entire Europe.
New security perspectives will also emerge due to changes in the South Caucasus region neighbouring the Black Sea. This will add potential to our joint security here, in our part of Europe. Especially when thanks to our defense from Russian aggression, new prospects will open for Georgia – to restore its territorial integrity.
All of us are now at a historical turning point. We have only two options.
Either terrorist Russia will succeed in breaking freedom. And then the zone of geopolitical instability, which exists in the east of Europe, will spread throughout the continent. Or thanks to many levels and formats of cooperation, in particular regional ones, thanks to our common protection of freedom – Russia will lose in this confrontation. After it has lost, and as a result, a historic chance for geopolitical stability along the entire line from Scandinavia through Minsk and Kyiv to the South Caucasus will be realized.
Did previous generations have such a chance? Honestly, they didn’t have. Because Russia has always kept the potential for destabilization. But now – we have it. And we have to use it. I am sure we will.
Dear leaders!
Now, before winter comes, we should all focus firstly on hybrid terrorist threats from Russia. We saw last year what the Kremlin was betting on, namely strikes on the energy infrastructure to destroy the basis of modern life. We predict that this winter Russia will try to repeat its terror tactics, only on a larger scale.
It is important now to be ready for any terrorist attacks, for any Russian actions. We must stand this battle. Air defense, namely the defence of our cities, our energy infrastructure and export corridors in the Black Sea, is the key to winning the winter battle for Ukraine. And I thank those of you who have helped all of us to protect our skies against Russian missiles, drones and against Russian jets. The Kremlin must begin to get used to its losses, and the loss of the second winter, the loss of its energy terror will definitely give strength to all of us – it will be easier to lead Russia with losses in the future.
But for this we still need to work together – much more! – at the global level, at the regional levels, and in bilateral, of course, format. So that after this winter, we will be able to record – on the basis of our cooperation, of our common efforts, our joint victory is gradually growing and, thanks to it, the establishment of geopolitical stability in the entire Great East of Europe is approaching – real, reliable one.
And it will be so.
Thank you for your support, invitation, thanks for everything!
Слава Україні!