Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, invoked Winston Churchill’s wartime British leader Tuesday when he said to the U.K. parliament that Ukrainians would defeat Russian invaders in Ukraine’s forests and streets.
Zelenskyy stated to British lawmakers that “we will never give up” and “we will win,” in a speech that recalls Churchill’s stirring speech “Never surrender” in 1940, during the worst days of World War II.
“We will fight until the end at sea and in the air. He said that he would continue to fight for his land, no matter what the cost. “We will fight in forests, on the beaches, and on the banks of the rivers,” he said.
Churchill pledged to fight Nazi troops in his speech, “on the beaches.. on landing grounds…in the fields and in streets.”
Zelenskyy, who was speaking via video from Ukraine, wore army green and thanked Britain, for its humanitarian assistance and defense weapons. He asked the U.K. for more sanctions against Russia and to recognize Russia’s “terrorist country” status. This was to ensure that Ukraine’s skies are safe. Zelenskyy pleaded with NATO leaders for a no fly zone to be established over Ukraine. However, they resisted, saying it could lead to a military confrontation with Russia.
Zelenskyy described the destruction of schools, hospitals, and deaths of civilians during the two-week conflict. He said that Ukraine “didn’t start or want” the war.
He said, “But we must conduct this war. We don’t want to lose anything, what is ours and our country Ukraine.”
Zelenskyy invoked William Shakespeare as a British hero by quoting “Hamlet”, when he stated that “the question for now is ‘to exist or not to exist.”
“I can give a definitive answer. He said, “It’s certainly yes — it has to be.”
Zelenskyy’s powerful videos have been a key factor in rallying support for Ukraine’s defense against invasion. The speech to British politicians comes after a speech Zelenskyy gave last week to hundreds U.S. Congressmen in which he urged them to get more warplanes for his military and to cut off Russian oil imports. President Joe Biden made the announcement Tuesday.
Tuesday’s speech was the first occasion that a foreign leader could address Britain’s House of Commons. For lawmakers to hear him, screens and simultaneous interpretation headsets were installed in the chamber.
Although applause is not allowed in the Commons, lawmakers stood to give Zelenskyy standing-ovations before and after his speech.
Johnson stated that Zelenskyy “moved everyone’s hearts in this House.”
Johnson promised to increase sanctions against Russia and refer to Britain’s announcement it would also end Russian oil imports. Johnson said that he would “employer every method – diplomatic and humanitarian… until Vladimir Putin fails in this disastrous venture and Ukraine becomes free once again.”
Unusual political agreements have been reached in Britain’s fractured Parliament because of the war. Keir Starmer of the Labour Party’s left-of-center opposition said that his party would support the most severe sanctions to cripple Russia. Labour is for Ukraine receiving the weapons it needs to defeat their invaders.
He said, “Labour stands by President Zelenskyy with Ukraine, democracy.” “Slava Ukraini,” — Glory to Ukraine
