Today marks 100 days of the war. Everything has changed in our country since Feb. 24. And literally, every day now is a day of maintaining protection for us. Protection of all our people, children and future. Protection of a free country where every child can, when he or she grows up, live the life he or she wants, without coercion and oppression.
Despite the low expectations of the outside world of the Ukrainian ability to defend itself at the beginning of the war, Ukraine and its people have been fighting a real people’s war for their freedom, identity and right to exist for 100 days already, showing unprecedented courage and resistance.
It is obvious that Russia is preparing for a long-term war, constantly replenishing its occupation forces. Ukraine, with the support of our partners, will fight as long as it is necessary to win. The cease-fire in itself cannot be an objective: we will strive for the withdrawal of Russian troops. For Ukraine, it is a national liberation war for the restoration of sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as the liberation of the occupied territories. It is our war of independence.
Despite Russia surpassing Ukraine in military equipment and personnel, Ukrainian defenders have managed to liberate the Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy regions and continue to bravely hold the line in Donbass. However, the situation there is very difficult.
Everyone sees what Russia brings to Ukraine and what it potentially might bring to other countries: total contempt for individuals, for entire nations. The Russian state despises even its own citizens so much that it does not understand the value of human life at all. Russian soldiers kill and die themselves as if they were not people but just dust. Dust under the feet of the owners of Russia.
The principles of our lives are completely different. And although life has changed with the onset of war, our principles remain the same. Every person matters. This is the main thing that distinguishes us from the occupiers.
During the time of the Russian full-scale invasion, 689 children were injured as a result of the occupiers' attacks. And these are only those we know about. We do not yet have all the information from the territory that is currently occupied. But from what is known today, 446 children have been injured, 243 children have died and 139 are missing.
About 12 million of our citizens have been forced to flee their homes due to the war. More than 5 million went abroad. And the vast majority of them are women with children. We will do everything so that they can return home to Ukraine.
Russia is also pursuing a consistent criminal policy of deporting our people by forcibly deporting both adults and children. This is one of Russia's most heinous war crimes. In total, more than 200,000 Ukrainian children have been deported so far. These include orphans from orphanages, children with parents and children separated from their families.
The Russian state disperses these people on its territory, settles our citizens, in particular, in remote regions. The purpose of this criminal policy is not just to steal people but to make deportees forget about Ukraine and not be able to return.
But we must find a solution to this challenge as well and ensure that all those who killed, tortured or deported Ukrainians are held accountable.
The inevitability of punishment is a principle that Ukraine will definitely teach Russia. But first of all, we must teach it on the battlefield that Ukraine will not be conquered, that our people will not surrender, and our children will not become the property of the occupiers.
We share Turkey's approach of "peace in the region, peace in the world," and we want peace in our country, a safe life for our children without missiles over their heads. Russia wants to continue hostilities and is far from ending this war.
It is a pity to hear the Russian narratives among the Turkish people that the war in Ukraine is the war of the third powers. I would like to say that the Ukrainians are fighting against one of the world's largest armies for our territories and the right to choose our future path of development. Understanding the threats that Russia poses to all humankind, civilized countries around the world are trying to help us protect our common values and ourselves.
Throughout our history of national liberation movements against Russia, Ukraine has always sought allies, including, even now, actively cooperating with Turkey and other countries.
Until 2014, Ukraine adhered to neutrality in its policy. We see how it ended with the occupation of Crimea and the war in Donbass. Despite our numerous attempts and ongoing efforts to finish the war through diplomatic means, we have no chance but to speak with Russians in the language they understand much better: the language of power.
Taking into account all the crimes committed by the Russian army in Ukraine, continuing negotiations with Russia is a difficult task. During the talks in Istanbul, we proposed a new system of security guarantees, which is currently being discussed with possible guarantor states. But the answer from Russia was brutal – new massacres, new attacks and new demands.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy rightly stresses that in order to win, freedom must be armed better than tyranny. The main pillars for our victory that partners and allies can ensure remain unchanged are maximum sanction pressure on Russia, more swift heavy weapons deliveries to Ukraine and clarity on Ukraine's European future. Cooperation with Turkey in the defense sphere is important to strengthen our capabilities to confront Russia.
The war against Ukraine is a manifestation of imperial chauvinism and neo-colonialism in which Russia is trying to reinstall the Soviet Union, copying its defiant behavior both in the international arena and implementing Soviet practices in Russian everyday life. The world must support Ukraine because the future of Europe depends on its victory; otherwise, permissiveness, impunity and (nuclear) blackmail will set new ambitions for revisionist autocratic regimes in the world. Russia is blocking the seaports of Ukraine, through which grain is exported to world markets. Ukrainian farmers are actually working under missile fire to feed the world. Without Ukrainian grain, the world is threatened by famine. Hunger means political instability and potentially a new refugee crisis. The world must ensure freedom of navigation in the Black Sea to prevent chaos.
Russia bears full responsibility for the unfolding global food crisis, which runs the risk of transforming into a multiyear one if solutions are not be found in the coming weeks. Even finding itself in the circumstances of fighting against a full-scale war of aggression, Ukraine is working intensively with the United Nations and international partners to find solutions to ensure global food security.
The Turkish initiatives to create a harmonious economic, transport, humanitarian and security environment in the Black Sea are under threat due to the Russian blockade of Ukraine. We look forward to active cooperation with our Turkish partners in ensuring the export of Ukrainian agricultural products. Ukraine is ready to resume exports to Turkey. We need to consolidate all our efforts to ensure free trade in the Black Sea.
Turkey has met with Russia on different sides of the barricades throughout history. The essence and face of the Russian Federation are very well known in Turkey. It is not for nothing that there is still a proverb in Turkey saying: "It is not possible to make a usable leather from a bear skin just like it's impossible to make friends with an enemy."
Now for the whole world, Russia is a virus that is worse than COVID-19. And the whole world is looking for an effective vaccine against this virus to defeat it once and for all. By the way, Turkey has had a very successful experience in fighting COVID-19. We really hope that this time Turkey will help to overcome this “virus” too.
