Volodymyr Zelensky has told Ukrainians in an emotional speech to mark 31 years of independence that the country was reborn when Russia invaded.<\/p>\n
In a speech aired on the six-month anniversary of Russia\u2019s invasion, Ukraine\u2019s president said that the country no longer saw the war ending when there was peace, but when Kyiv was victorious.<\/p>\n
He said that Ukraine would recapture annexed Crimea and occupied areas in the east.<\/p>\n
\u201cA new nation appeared in the world on 24 February at 4 in the morning. It was not born, but reborn. A nation that did not cry, scream or take fright. One that did not flee. Did not give up. And did not forget,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The 44-year-old wartime leader delivered the speech in his trademark combat fatigues in front of Kyiv\u2019s central monument to independence from the Russia-controlled Soviet Union.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are holding on for six months. It is difficult for us, but we clenched our fists fighting for our fate,\u201d he added. \u201cEvery new day is a new reason not to give up. Because, having gone through so much, we have no right not to reach the end.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat for us is the end of the war? We used to say: peace. Now we say: victory.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that Ukraine will not \u201cseek an understanding with terrorists although we understand the Russian language that you came to defend… and killed thousands of people you came to liberate\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Volodymyr Zelensky has told Ukrainians in an emotional speech to mark 31 years of independence that the country was reborn when Russia invaded. In a speech aired on the six-month anniversary of Russia\u2019s invasion, Ukraine\u2019s president said that the country no longer saw the war ending when there was peace, but when Kyiv was victorious. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":261402,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[10309,338,456,4479],"class_list":{"0":"post-279247","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world","8":"tag-independence-day-speech","9":"tag-russia","10":"tag-ukraine","11":"tag-volodymyr-zelensky"},"yoast_head":"\n