In an address on the occasion of Unity Day in Ukraine on St. Sophia Square in Kiev, President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed the importance of unity for Ukrainians, Ukrinform reported.
“Millions of us are together. And together we managed to resist, to preserve Ukraine, to repel the occupier, to resist the invasion together. In this word - “together”, lies the strength of Ukrainians. It is for us, for what we are capable of, when we choose not our own ambitions, but Ukraine. We choose its interests. When we choose the sword, not the feces. To protect what is ours. To protect what is ours. Let's defend with all our might“, Zelensky said.
He stressed that February 24 is a test for Ukrainian unity.
“Every year on this day, we always remember these lessons of unity, we organize human chains, we showed how important it is to preserve unity and stand by each other. But the day came and we had to prove it. February 24. The day that became a decisive moment. It became a challenge. A test of unity, of maturity, of faith in Ukraine. And we united. All Ukrainians united. Not declaratively, on paper, not through some team, but through a call from within“, the Ukrainian president also said.
In his address from the “St. Sophia“ Square in Kiev, Zelensky assured that the Ukrainian state will survive and that the children and grandchildren of future generations will continue to come to this square. “As on Unity Day, so on all other holidays. Under the blue and yellow flag. In our country. And we will do everything to keep it that way. So that we are not ashamed before them, so that they know that we have not repeated the mistakes of the past. And that Ukraine exists. Ukraine is united. Peaceful. United“.
Ukraine celebrates Unity Day on January 22, Ukrinform notes. This day marks the proclamation of the Act of Unification of the Ukrainian People's Republic and the West Ukrainian People's Republic in 1919. The day was declared an official holiday in 1999.