Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine addresses GLOBSEC 2022, Thursday 2 June.

  • President Zelenskyy said the EU´s political and financial support is crucial for the survival and unity of his people
  • He called for help to come “as fast as possible” to equip Ukraine for victory and help rebuild the country after the war
  • He warned against divisions on Ukraine´s future EU´s aspirations as it would only enhance Russia´s current policies

As leaders gather in Bratislava, Slovakia to discuss how to further mobilize support for Ukraine and increase the resilience of Europe in the face of a new harsh geopolitical reality, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, delivered a special address on the opening of GLOBSEC 2022 Forum, setting the agenda for global leaders to come together to help his country.

“When we prevail, the freedom for Europeans will also prevail for decades,” said President Zelenskyy.

In his speech, he reiterated that “Ukraine seeks to be a full-fledged member of the united Europe” and called on the EU leaders to agree on his country´s candidate status in June.

The EU should prevent Russia from getting a message that there is no unity over support for Ukraine´s EU aspirations, said Zelenskyy. “If Russia feels that Europe could leave Ukraine behind, it will become a grave destabilizing factor… Division in Europe is a chance for Russia to continue its policies.”

Regarding the most essential form of help Ukraine could make use of, President Zelenskyy said that while weapons are a top priority due to the continuing clashes on the battlefields, the most important weapon for every country is the unity of its people. And for Ukrainians, this unity is strengthened by the attention of the whole world they are receiving, “it´s a great motivation.”

However, this motivation is also directly linked with the EU aspirations because they are connected with Ukraine´s future. “It is not just a hollow phrase, it is not just a technical issue” for Ukrainians, said Zelenskyy, adding that the key motivation is that Ukraine will be in future treated as an equal partner to the EU.

“We are not only fighting for our freedom, we truly believe in those values, it is not just a slogan.”

Watch the full session here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57T5vqxZDHE

This year’s GLOBSEC summit, dubbed a “summit at the frontlines of war”, takes place on June 2 – 4, with the main theme of “building resilience in a divided world.” It convenes at a strategic time when more than 1,500 public figures, global and business leaders, meet in person to confront the current issues of a crisis-driven world, including restoring stability amid a new era of geopolitical conflict; strengthening resilience in the sphere of energy security, health care, sustainability, cyber and tech; maintaining economic growth and defending democracy among others.

Robert Vass, President of GLOBSEC, in his opening speech has called for action to mobilize support for Ukraine. He said: “This conflict is about far more than Ukraine. It is also about us and the world we live in. The future of the West is being decided now in Eastern Europe … Whatever the upcoming weeks and months will bring, the leaders of NATO and the EU should be designing their responses. There is no time to lose. This is what we are here for at the Forum – to offer solutions.”

This year, the 17th edition of the Forum is be the biggest conference in the CEE region with the most impressive lineup yet, including more than 30 delegations alongside a roster of internationally recognized business and opinion leaders. Furthermore, as a part of the framework of the Forum, GLOBSEC, in cooperation with the Slovak and Ukrainian governments, kicks off a campaign to mobilize political, military, financial and economic support for Ukraine.

About GLOBSEC:

GLOBSEC is a global think-tank based in Bratislava committed to enhancing security, prosperity and sustainability in Europe and throughout the world. It is an independent, non-partisan, non-governmental organisation. Its mission is to influence the future by generating new ideas and solutions for a better and safer world. To this goal contributes the annual GLOBSEC Bratislava Forum, one of the leading conferences on global security in the world. GLOBSEC also organises the annual GLOBSEC Tatra Summit, a conference that provides the opportunity for experts to have fruitful political discussions on the future of Europe.