​His address was characterized by a mixture of gratitude for European solidarity and a blunt warning about the stakes of the ongoing conflict, particularly regarding Ukraine’s path to EU membership.
​Zelenskyy reflected on the resilience of the Ukrainian people, noting that the “three-day push” to take Kyiv had turned into a four-year testament to Ukrainian endurance.
He stated that while Putin is “incapable of defeating Ukraine on the battlefield,” he has shifted to “fighting against apartment buildings and power plants.”
He described the current Russian regime as a
“mentally unstable dictatorship” that cannot accept a neighbor living freely.
​Zelenskyy urged the EU to maintain and increase economic pressure, specifically targeting the “wallet” that funds the Russian war machine.
He called for a complete boycott of Russian oil, tankers, and banks.
He emphasized the importance of the €90 billion EU loan package to sustain the country through what he described as the “hardest winter in history.”
​Zelenskyy notably appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump to visit Kyiv. He argued that only by seeing the “enormity of this pain” in person could one truly understand who the aggressor is and who must be pressured in peace negotiations.
​The speech took place during an extraordinary plenary session in Brussels, where European Parliament President Roberta Metsola reaffirmed that “Ukraine’s security is Europe’s security.” Simultaneously in Kyiv, several EU leaders—including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa—joined Zelenskyy in person to pay tribute to fallen defenders at Maidan Square.
“We never chose this war. We did not start it, and we did not provoke it… but we have preserved Ukraine.” — Volodymyr Zelenskyy,
