"Unbreakable people of the bravest country!"

The 65th day of our defense is coming to an end. We are striking back at the occupiers on all fronts where they attempt to advance.

A tough situation in Kharkiv region. But our soldiers and scouts have achieved important tactical successes.

In Donbas, the occupiers do everything possible to destroy any life in this territory. Continuous brutal bombardments, constant Russian strikes on infrastructure and residential areas show that Russia wants to make this land uninhabitable. Therefore, defending our land, protecting our people — it is literally a fight for survival. For Lysychansk, Severodonetsk, Popasna, Kramatorsk, Sloviansk, Mariinka, and all other cities and communities of Donbas that Russian troops want to turn into ruins, everything is at stake in this war.

Only if Ukraine stands firm will they live. If the Russian oppressors manage to partially realize their plans, then they still have enough artillery and aviation to reduce all of Donbas to rubble. As they did with Mariupol.

In a city that was one of the most developed in the region — just a Russian concentration camp amidst ruins. And the orders of the occupiers in the part of Mariupol that, unfortunately, they still control are vastly different from what the Nazis did on occupied territory in Eastern Europe.

But Russian military forces manage to be even more cynical than the Nazis 80 years ago. Back then, oppressors at least didn’t claim that Mariupol residents and defenders of the city were shooting and killing themselves.

I am grateful to the United States, President Biden, and Congress for an analogous famous lend-lease program, which will greatly help in the fight against Russia, against Russian oppressors. It was very helpful in fighting Nazis during World War II.

I am confident that now lend-lease will help Ukraine and all free world overcome ideological successors of Nazis who have unleashed war on us on our land. Lend-lease and other support programs for Ukraine — this is a concrete proof that freedom still knows how to defend itself from tyranny.

Today, the Ukrainian government discussed the issue of eliminating fuel market shortages. Queues and rising prices at gas stations are in many regions of our country. The occupiers deliberately destroy infrastructure for production, supply, and storage of fuel. Russia also blocked our ports, so there are no immediate solutions to fill the shortage. But officials promise that within a week, maximum two weeks, a system will be ensured to supply fuel to Ukraine which can prevent shortages.

After the Russian missile strike on Kremenchuk oil refinery, this is a difficult task. But officials together with fuel suppliers, together with traders and networks have to accomplish this task as well, no matter how hard it may be. I am confident they will succeed. We need to take as much fuel from Europe as needed for our citizens right now.

Today, the British Ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons returned to Kyiv.

Now already 27 foreign diplomatic missions are operating in the capital of our country. And this is an extremely important show of support for Ukraine, for which we all thank them.

Such gestures together with strong defensive, financial and political support from the free world mean that every day it becomes more obvious to Russia the necessity to end the war. The defeat of occupiers — is inevitable.

In temporarily occupied areas of Kherson region collaborators are spreading rumors about preparing for a transition into a "ruble zone". Any attempts to transfer our territory into an administrative, currency or any other system of Russia will mean only one thing: Russia itself will suffer from this. Our responses, sanctions and other reactions of the free world to Russian aggression will not stop.

The cleanup is ongoing in Kyiv where yesterday, during UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' visit, Russian missiles hit. Sadly, but such deliberate and brutal humiliation of the United Nations Organization by Russia remained without a strong response.

Today it became known that from the strike of a Russian missile on a residential building in Kyiv died journalist Vera Hryhorych, Radio Liberty's employee. She became the twenty-third media worker whose life was cut short as a result of Russian invasion since February 24th. My condolences to all relatives and loved ones. Eternal memory to all victims of this war!

Today in the White Hall of Heroes Ukraine Palace I awarded our defenders and family members of fallen soldiers with honors. The Orders "Golden Star" were received by Heroes of Ukraine: Lieutenant Colonel Serhiy Burkovsky, Captain Vitaliy Hural, Senior Lieutenant Dmytro Dozirchyk, Lieutenant Colonel Oleksandr Zugravyi, Colonel Dmytro Kachenko, Major Oleksandr Kukurba, Captain Oleg Pasiichnyk, Lieutenant Colonel Viacheslav Tsygankov, Colonel of Medical Service Oleksandr Slesarenko, Lieutenant Colonel Leonid Hoda, Colonel Denys Chayuk and Lieutenant General Serhiy Naiiev.

Also three military servicemen were posthumously awarded the Orders "Golden Star". I had the honor to present them to relatives of our heroes — Sergeant Volodymyr Baluk, Master Sergeant Oleksandr Tsyupak and Major Pavlo Sbitov.

Thanks only to our heroes, thanks to everyone who stood up for defense of our country, we can live, we can be with our relatives in our home.

Glory to all our heroes!

Glory to Ukraine!"