“I am convinced that every separate victory on the diplomatic frontline, in each individual country of residence and international organizations is a shield that protects our heroes from Russian bullets in the Donbas,” President Petro Poroshenko addressed the participants of the 13th meeting of the heads of foreign diplomatic institutions of Ukraine.
“Our trip to the Donbas is also a clear signal for Ukrainians in the occupied territories that we will not stop fighting for them, that they are not forgotten,” Petro Poroshenko said.
The Head of State emphasized: “Taking into account my personal experience, I use any opportunity to visit the Donbas to get inspiration to rebuff the enemy. That is why I think this trip was also vitally necessary for you. I have no doubt that you will come back to the countries of residence with arguments for struggle for peace in Ukraine”.
“Nobody wants this peace more than us, President, our whole team, locals, the whole Ukrainian nation,” he emphasized.
The President is convinced that nobody doubts the fact that the professional and efficient diplomatic service is not a luxury, but a necessity, an integral part of the state’s successful development, restoration of peace and security.
“Over these four and a half years, we have made practically impossible: we managed not only to create and preserve a powerful transatlantic coalition in support of Ukraine, but also expand and reinforce it. This task, by the way, is still extremely topical today,” the President said.
According to Petro Poroshenko, one who thinks that every country that has become the object of aggression has automatic support of the whole world is deeply wrong. “You have to fight for international support and solidarity. Fight in every single country,” he stressed.
“Someone persistently advised us in those days that we must forget about Crimea, back down on the Donbas in order to receive the support. Even to abandon the European choice. For what? Not to annoy, God forbid, the aggressor. To give up our Euro-Atlantic direction and immediately return to the Moscow stall – you will come back and everything will be fine. Why did they advise that? Because Kyiv is supposedly not capable of struggling with Moscow. Because never in hundreds and hundreds of years Kyiv could not afford to carry out an independent policy, history confirms this,” the Head of State noted.
He noted that few people know all the details of hundreds of his meetings and phone conversations, the result of which, just as the result of our common work, is powerful international support. “As they say, irresistible waters of truth will break through the strongest walls of lies and manipulations,” the President noted.
Petro Poroshenko noted that by violating the Budapest memorandum, Russia not only crushed the fundamental principles of international law, but also undermined the foundations of the non-proliferation regime. “Today, everyone has to recognize the ineffectiveness of the Budapest memorandum, but we must fight for the restoration of international law,” the President said.
“We once again became convinced that a real guarantee of our independence, a guarantee of Ukrainian statehood, is the full realization of our European and Euro-Atlantic choice. I am proud that we have not wasted this time, these last four years and have made significant progress on our way back to a common European home – where we rightfully belong historically, mentally and civilizationally,” he emphasized.
Petro Poroshenko particularly emphasized that the fate of political prisoners held in Russian prisons, hostages held in the occupied territories, as well as political prisoners in Crimea is a painful reminder of how deep the gap is between “Russian world” and Europe to which Ukraine aspires. “Life itself tells us the right way,” he concluded.
