THE President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has thanked the people of Scotland during his surprise visit to the UK.
During a speech given to MPs and peers in Westminster Hall, Zelenskyy paid thanks to all the countries of the United Kingdom for their support in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.
He said: “The people of the United Kingdom and their honourable representatives, all the people of England and Scotland, of Wales and Northern Ireland, of all the lands which have been home to brave souls since Europe came into existence.
“I have come here and stand before you on behalf of the brave, on behalf of our war heroes who are now in the trenches under enemy artillery fire, on behalf of our air gunners, and every defender of the sky who protects Ukraine against enemy aircraft and missiles, on behalf of our tank men who fight to restore our Ukrainian borders, on behalf of our conscripts who are being trained now including here in Britain.
“Thank you, Britain.”
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He later told parliamentarians that defeating Russia would be a “victory of the very idea of war.”
“We know freedom will win,” he said. “We know Russia will lose.
“And we really know that the victory will change the world and this will be a change that the world has long needed.
“The United Kingdom is marching with us towards the most, I think, the most important victory of our lifetime. It will be a victory over the very idea of the war.
“After we win together, any aggressor, it doesn’t matter big or small, will know what awaits him if he attacks international order. Any aggressor is going to lose.”
Applause also greeted the Ukrainian president’s comments on holding warmongering nations to account.
He added: “Anyone who invests in terror must be held accountable”.
“Anyone who invests in violence must compensate those who have suffered from terror.”
He said that Ukraine’s call for a “special compensation mechanism, which will compensate war losses at the expense of Russian assets” is based on “such principles”.
Following the address, Zelenskyy is due to meet with King Charles at Buckingham Palace.
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