I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!
First of all, today our gratitude goes to our team involved in the exchanges and to all Ukrainian warriors – every unit – who replenish the exchange fund for our state. I am proud of you all, and I thank you for your help in liberating our people from Russian captivity.
It is important to understand that nothing happens just like that. Strong positions are always needed for Ukraine. The capabilities of our state must always be increased. In times of war, results can only be earned. I thank everyone who makes this possible.
We have managed to bring back another 95 Ukrainians from Russian captivity. Most of them are privates and sergeants, 26 officers. Defenders of Mariupol, and generally of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv and Kherson regions. Among them are Azov warriors. Also, Maksym Butkevych – a Ukrainian human rights activist, who went to defend Ukraine after the beginning of the full-scale war. All those who have been returned are now receiving the assistance they need.
And we keep working to free our people: military personnel and civilians. This is a very difficult process, but the more effective we are on the battlefield and in diplomacy, the sooner we will be able to bring the others back. We are investigating the fate of everyone who may be in captivity. We are trying very hard to get all of them back.
I thank the Armed Forces, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, the Office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ombudsman, the Coordination Headquarters – all those who are involved and those who help. As well as our partners – those countries and leaders who strengthen our positions within this work. And always, whenever we have the opportunity, we talk to leaders during visits about the need to bring Ukrainians home. All of them. All those who are captured by Russia.
Today, I met with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of France. It was exactly the meeting we needed. I am grateful to France, President Macron, and all of French society for supporting Ukraine, our defense. We had very good, productive talks in Paris during my visit. We cooperate fruitfully for defense, and in politics, and for our greater resilience – of Ukraine and of all our Europe. I am grateful to France for its support of the Victory Plan – the points that can really bring good faith diplomacy and a just peace closer. And we will be grateful to France for collaborating with our other partners to ensure that we have this shared vision – the vision that only a fair end to the war can truly guarantee a lasting peace.
And one more thing. I want to mention Norway: we have a new support package this week – 260 million dollars. The package is aimed at supporting our energy sector. Restoring destroyed facilities and developing modern infrastructure – this is what we need right now, ahead of winter.
There is also another step – a winter aid package from the Nordic-Baltic Eight: Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Denmark. Thank you!
This week, there are also new important decisions in the framework of sanctions against Russia and its allies – the UK's sanctions against Russia's shadow tanker fleet. And we need the world to put much more pressure on Russia in this area. The shadow tanker fleet helps Putin finance war and terror, and in addition, it poses a global security threat to all countries whose coasts and seas could be polluted by the operation of such tankers. I am grateful to everyone in the world who realizes this and tries to protect people and countries.
This week has also brought Ukraine a new bilateral security agreement: we signed it with Greece. In general, our architecture of security agreements is developing and growing. But these are always very specific agreements. And it is important to implement every single point. We are working on it.
I thank everyone who stands with Ukraine! Glory to our people!
Glory to Ukraine!