Speech at the presentation of the Order of Europe by President Zelenskyy to President von der Leyen

“Check against delivery”

President Zelenskyy,

It is a great honour to be back in Kyiv on this very special Day of Ukrainian Statehood. President Zelenskyy, dear Volodymyr, I want to thank you personally for the great privilege you are bestowing on me with this first-ever Order of Europe. And there is nowhere else in the world I would rather be for this occasion than here in St Michael's Square. Because this Square is a living testament to this great nation and its unbreakable spirit. From the golden dome of the monastery behind me to the monument to Princess Olga – it symbolises Ukraine's iconic and central place in Europe's culture and history. From the memorial to the victims of Holodomor to the Wall of Remembrance for the Fallen – it speaks to Ukraine's struggle and sacrifice. Its eternal fight for freedom and for liberty. This yearning for freedom runs deep in the history and in the very soul of Ukrainians. We see it every single day. And it is this same fire that has always burnt bright in Europeans – right across our continent and right across generations. The tragic, complex – and even miraculous – histories of European nations fighting for freedom – are woven together. This patchwork is the fabric of our continent – and of our European Union. And Ukraine is an integral part of that story. In that sense – in fact in every sense: Ukraine is Europe. And Europe is Ukraine. And this is the message I want to leave with you today as I humbly accept this Order.

Dear friends,

Today, Ukraine's fight is not only a fight for your own freedom. It is an existential fight for Europe's freedoms – for its values, its self-determination. For its moral and geographical independence. This is why – since the start of Russia's war of aggression, – I promised you that Europe would be at your side. And I promised you that I would be here as often as possible to show that solidarity in person. We have come a long way since then. This is now my 11th visit since the start of the invasion. There are countless moments from those trips that I will never forget as long as I live. I think every day of the harrowing visit to Bucha, seeing the scale of evil and barbarity unleashed on Ukraine. I think of the weight of history we felt at the Antonov Airport in Hostomel, where a handful of Ukrainian heroes saved an entire nation – perhaps even an entire continent. I think also of the emotions of Europe Day in front of St Sophia's Cathedral. I think of the very first visit of the entire College of Commissioners to Kyiv. But there is one image that is burnt in my memory, even if I did not see it with my own eyes. And it is from a small village in the Kharkiv region named after the great Ukrainian philosopher, Hryhorii Skovoroda. His writings have a deep legacy. They show us that the true meaning of our existence is our spirit, our heart and our liberty of thought. Over the centuries, they have taught us that a nation's spirit and inner freedom can survive even the greatest oppression and suppression. And exactly 300 years after his birth – on a fateful morning in May 2022 – he showed that to us one more time. Because throughout the previous night, Russia cowardly and callously targeted the Hryhorii Skovoroda Museum – his former home in the middle of the village. In doing so, it was not just a calculated and targeted missile hit on the museum's building. It was a direct attack on Ukraine's culture and history. An attempt to destroy its soul, its identity, the very idea of its existence. And above all it was an attempt to subdue the fight for freedom. As the sun rose after the destruction of the night, almost nothing was left of the museum. Only one item survived: the statue of the great writer himself. Among the rubble and ashes – there stood the giant Skovoroda, tall and proud. A defiant symbol that Ukraine's freedom will never be diminished – let alone vanquished. That image is a powerful reminder that our inner freedom – both Ukraine and Europe's – can never be taken away. And they can never be divided. And this is why we must continue to fight for it – together every single day. And you can count on Europe to do just that.

People of Ukraine,

You are not only fighting for your own future but for the security of our entire continent. The courage of your soldiers has helped shift the momentum on the battlefield. Yes, to defend your homeland but also to protect the values on which Europe was built. Europe has so much to learn from you. About the ingenuity of your defence industry. About the speed with which innovation moves from the front line to production. About your ability – under the most difficult circumstances – to adapt, innovate, and build the capabilities that modern warfare demands. Every day, Ukraine is making Europe stronger. And this is why today I say: Ukraine has – in many ways – gone from being a buyer to a net security provider for Europe. And that also entails a new way of working together. And that is why I am delighted to launch, together with you, Volodymyr, a new EU-Ukraine Defence Industrial Partnership. What we are signing today is our very own Drone Deal. Over recent months, Ukraine has signed such drone deals with several countries, from Europe to the Middle East. This recognises the interest in Ukraine's battlefield experience. The knowledge you have gained on how to work drone and anti-drone systems is truly unique. From the technology and production of the drones to the supply chains needed to sustain the capacity. Or crucially to the knowledge on using radar systems, ground stations or sensors. We must tap into this together. Because we know the threats that Europe faces in this area – we have seen incursions and alerts across many Member States. Events here and around the world have shown us the importance to our security of being able to deploy battle-proven drone systems. At scale and at speed. In Europe, we already have huge technological and industrial capacity that can be deployed. And we have safe and secure production sites that can help to scale up. But we do not have that battle-tested knowledge and expertise that Ukraine has forged. So the point I am making is that we need to combine our strengths. Together, we can work on joint production. On making all of the components of the system work. And we can provide both defence industrial bases with the impetus needed to decisively step up investment and production. This deal will bring together Ukrainian ingenuity and Europe's industrial scale. And with this deal our message is clear: now is the time to invest in Ukraine. To invest in Europe. And to invest in our common security and common future.

People of Ukraine,

Seeing the European flag next to your Ukrainian flag flying here in St Michael's Square brings this to life. And it evokes so many emotions for me. A symbol of hope and light during a war of despair and darkness. Across Europe we see this flag flying proudly in thousands of cities and villages – from Gdansk across your border to Ghent. From Cork to Copenhagen. From Tallinn to Turino. We sometimes forget how miraculous that is. How improbable it would have been to most people only a handful of decades ago. And we sometimes do not talk enough about what that flag really means to us. Peace and prosperity. Liberty and democracy. Solidarity and values. A commitment to having each other's back. A feeling of belonging to more than just ourselves – wherever we are from. It is truly unique – not only in today's world but throughout history. The truth is we may not talk enough about that – we may be too focused on what is in front of us right now. But here in Ukraine, you have not forgotten. In fact, you are the ones fighting for everything that flag symbolises. With a spirit that is almost undefinable. I could not find the right word in English, or German, or French to try to define it. But I have been told there is one in Ukrainian that sums it up perfectly. And that is ‘Nezlamnist'. A spirit that is unbreakable and indestructible. Stoic and unshakeable. This is the founding spirit of Europe. And it is the spirit that Ukrainians show every single day in their fight for freedom. So in accepting this Order of Europe, it is not me bringing Europe or this EU flag to Kyiv on this Statehood Day. Because Europe is already here. And it always will be. This is our common dream. It is our destiny. And together we will make it happen.

Long live Ukraine, long live Europe.