On the occasion of the upcoming Day of Physical Culture and Sport, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with students from 29 educational institutions in the field of physical culture and sports from different regions of the country.
The Head of State said that sports influence many other areas of life, from the physical education and psychological resilience of individuals to international politics.
"Ukraine is becoming an influential state, and sports are an integral part of this influence," Zelenskyy is convinced.
Therefore, according to him, the successes of Ukrainian athletes in major international competitions are of great importance, as they represent the face of the country.
"There are directions that should be a priority because they will have an impact on international relations and strengthen Ukraine," the Head of State said.
At the same time, as the President said, the health of every Ukrainian and the nation as a whole is no less important.
"Ukraine needs to be rebuilt, and this should be done by smart and strong people. Ukrainians should live longer, and for this, a healthy lifestyle is necessary," he added.
Zelenskyy told the students that engaging in sports personally mobilizes him and helps maintain productivity, relieve stress, and improve psychological well-being.
"And in general, we just need to stay in shape. We need Russians to be afraid of us, so we all need to be in shape. The country must look strong, resilient, and ready to fight. It is crucial that our citizens understand the importance of sports. Athletes and politicians must popularize sports as one of the most important directions," he said.
Answering questions from students from the frontline regions, the President said that the state would pay attention to the needs of youth, especially athletes, in these areas of Ukraine. Additionally, in his opinion, an important task is to bring talented Ukrainian athletes back from abroad.
"When the war is over, we will bring back the best. We started this program before the war. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to take all the necessary steps. We can bring people back, let's be honest, on normal terms, with salaries. Financially and with infrastructure support talents. We will definitely invest in this direction after the war," the Head of State said.
While talking to students of the Municipal Institution of Higher Education "Khortytsia National Educational and Rehabilitation Academy" of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Council, whose 1,200 students are currently forced to study online due to the full-scale Russian aggression, Zelenskyy assured that Ukraine would restore all universities and other educational institutions destroyed as a result of Russia's invasion.
"Zaporizhzhia is in one of the most difficult situations. The situation is just as difficult in Kharkiv, in the South. The priorities for rebuilding will be such that those who suffered more will be rebuilt earlier. Border regions will live a normal life. It will be safe there. We still lack support for air defense," the President said.
