President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the nation, speaking about the need to immortalize the memory of Ukrainian righteous individuals and also about the importance of our country in ensuring global food security.

"Wise people of our most courageous country!

All our defenders!

Last year on May 14, for the first time in our state, we celebrated the Day of Memory of Ukrainians who saved Jews during World War II. Two thousand six hundred and fifty-nine Ukrainians received the title of Righteous Among the Nations. Our country is fourth in the world by the number of righteous individuals. People who risked their lives and those of their loved ones but still saved those whose death was inevitable at the hands of Nazis. They saved children, adults, entire families.

Each such story of rescue is awe-inspiring. It inspires bravery because there was total evil around, yet people kept good in their hearts. It inspires faith that humanity will prevail despite the occupation and power of the Nazis at the time.

Righteous individuals were in all regions of our country—from Zakarpattia to Crimea, from Odessa to Kharkiv. And we still do not know about many rescue stories. There were also those who simply did not have a chance to tell how they survived thanks to someone.

We must always remember that in our people there are such righteous individuals and that even in the darkest circumstances, there are people who bring light. It is precisely this desire for good that we see now in Ukrainians and Ukrainian women helping save people from occupiers, from such Nazis.

I am grateful to all journalists and simply concerned citizens documenting contemporary rescue stories and fixing them for generations of our nation—what Ukraine had to go through and how people demonstrated their best qualities by saving others—known and unknown, relatives and strangers, children, adults.

Today in Kyiv I held talks with a delegation of US senators led by Senate Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. I believe that this visit once again demonstrates the strength of bipartisan support for our country and the power of ties between Ukrainian and American peoples.

We discussed various directions of support for our state, including military and financial. Also strengthening sanctions against Russia. Thanked for the historic decision to renew the lend-lease program. Called on officially recognizing Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.

One of the issues I deal with practically every day is food security. More and more countries around the world are realizing that Russia, by blocking us from the Black Sea and continuing this war, puts dozens of other countries at risk of price crises on the food market and even famine. This is another incentive for our anti-war coalition to act more decisively together.

Now support for Ukraine—and especially with weapons—means working to prevent a global famine. The sooner we liberate our land and guarantee security for Ukraine, the sooner normal conditions on the food market can be restored.

The situation in Donbas remains very serious. Russian troops are still trying to show some kind of victory. On the 80th day of full-scale invasion, this looks particularly insane, but they do not stop making these efforts.

I am grateful to everyone who is holding the defense and advancing for Donbas, for Azovstal, for Kherson as what is happening now in Kharkiv. Step by step we are forcing occupiers out of our land. We will force them out of Ukrainian waters.

By the way, currently in many cities and communities across Ukraine, discussions about renaming streets and squares are underway. I recommend referring to the history of Ukrainian righteous individuals and immortalizing their memory. Because it is precisely this bravery and humanity of Ukrainians who have already shown that evil coming to our land will inevitably lose.

Eternal glory to all our defenders!

Eternal memory to all those who gave their lives for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!">