Mr. Chairman! Dear Members of the Verkhovna Rada, dear speakers and representatives of national parliaments. Ladies and gentlemen!
Let me thank you for receiving us in this historic and symbolic place.
The place where Ukraine declared its independence, and in this city we will also vote for membership, as we hope, in the European Union and NATO. I am convinced of this!
I am honoured and moved to address you on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor, one of the greatest tragedies in human history. At the hands of the brutal stalinist regime, up to 7 million Ukrainians died of starvation. Ukraine, which was called the "breadbasket" of Europe.
Why is this important today? Why is something that happened more than 90 years ago important? This is an extremely important question, because vladimir putin is trying to return the so-called glorious history of the soviet union and the russian empire to the source of his legitimacy. The past has become one of the most important fronts of the current war. And we must win on this front because the truth is on our side. There was nothing glorious about what happened in Ukraine during the winter of 1932. It was an attempt to destroy the Ukrainian nation. It was not the first time and not the last time in history that russia tried to achieve this cynical goal. I am proud that both chambers of the Czech Parliament have clearly and openly called the Holodomor what it really was – an act of genocide against the Ukrainian nation.
We cannot allow putin to falsify history and we must win the war for the past. At the same time, we must do everything in our power to win the war for the future. The war that is going on as we speak is another attempt to destroy the Ukrainian nation. But it is also an attempt to break the spirit of the entire community of democratic countries, of all of us here and the nations we represent. We are all ready to allocate the necessary resources to ensure victory, because the alternative is the victory of dictatorship, destruction and hatred.
In this context, I would like to express my admiration for the brave Ukrainians. You bear the burden of responsibility for the future of Europe. And we are grateful to you. We will not let you down.
Let me also add this. Miloš Vystrčil brought a candle, and I think we should bring you more and more weapons as well. And I can promise you that we will continue to do so.
Thank you. Glory to Ukraine!