"Strong people of an unbreakable country!"

Today is the 18th day. The 18th day of our war for life, for Ukraine, for independence.

The start of today was dark. Russian rockets and air bombs hit our state again. From east to west.

30 rockets on just the Lviv region alone. As a result of the shelling of the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security, 35 people were killed, another 134 people were injured.

Nothing was happening there that could threaten Russian territory. And only about 20 kilometers away — NATO borders.

Last year I clearly warned the leaders of NATO: if there are no tough preventive sanctions against the Russian Federation, it will go to war. We were right.

I have been saying for a long time: "The Northern Stream" — this is the weapon that will hit all of Europe. Now this is obvious.

And now I repeat again: if you do not close our sky, it's only a matter of time until Russian rockets fall on your territory, on NATO territory, on the homes of citizens of NATO countries.

Today in Kyiv region an American journalist Brent Renaud was killed. His colleague was injured. This was a deliberate attack by Russian military forces.

They knew what they were doing. But, apparently, not everyone in the West knows what they are doing.

In the east of our country, the occupiers decided to "demilitarize" and "denazify"» the Svobodyanska Lavra of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate).

At the time of the strike, only monks and hundreds of refugees were on the territory of the monastery. There was no military target in the lavra or nearby. But Russian troops do not stop even from hitting the lavra.

Just this one fact alone demonstrates that all the ideology of the Russian state is just a lie.

Today I visited our boys, our defenders, who are recovering after injuries in a military hospital.

We talked. I presented awards. Orders and medals — for bravery, for glory to Ukraine.

And I very much want my greeting "good health" to work as powerfully today as our Armed Forces who hold key positions. Already 18 days. By the way, in this same hospital, a Russian soldier from Ryazan is being treated.

He — in one ward with our defenders. Receiving the same help, from the same doctors. Despite what this young man did against us, against Ukraine.

But Ukrainian doctors saved him. And that is understandable. Because they are people, not beasts.

And we must go through this war so that all of us remain human beings.

I am grateful to all the doctors and nurses working in Kyiv, Dnipro, Vinnytsia, Lviv, Chernihiv, Donbas, Kharkiv, Melitopol, Mariupol...

To everyone!

Military hospital of the city of Mariupol.

Mobile military hospital of Pokrovsk city.

Mobile military hospital of Chasiv Yar city.

Eastern Region Military Medical Center.

Military Hospital of the City of Cherkaсke.

Central Region Military Medical Center, Vinnytsia city.

Western Region Military Medical Center, Lviv city.

Military medical rehabilitation center, came out of Irpin but continues to work.

To all of you — sincere thanks!

From all of us. From all Ukrainians.

I also visited checkpoints today. Did not want it to be too public.

Just to support our boys, talk. Brave guys, cheerful guys who are defending Kyiv and know that we will win. You can feel this.

We will win thanks only to the way Ukrainians know how to unite.

Know how always remember their own. Their own — by spirit, heart, sincerity.

I met there at a checkpoint an extraordinary person who daily supports our defenders, daily brings them a pot of borscht that is really tasty and truly Ukrainian. Just from the heart. And I know it's on such people that our state has stood for centuries. Thanks to such people we will survive any dark days. Because we — together. And we always protect our own. Not for money. Without coercion. Not like those who came to us. But because we are Ukrainians.

Important international talks. Bulgaria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Romania, Poland, Britain.

We feel the support of these countries. We feel the support of our army. This is important.

Also spoke with Charles Michel, President of the European Council, about our European perspective that is becoming a reality.

Now on talks with the Russian Federation.

Every day in video format representatives of delegations from both countries speak. Our delegation's task is clear — to make sure a meeting between presidents takes place. A meeting that, I am certain, people are waiting for.

It's understood that this is a complex history. A hard path. But the path is necessary. And our goal — in this struggle, in this difficult negotiation work, Ukraine must get the necessary result. Necessary for us, for peace and security.

To have guarantees — normal, effective ones. Not like "Budapest" and not in our sky. But such that Ukrainians can say: here it works, here are the guarantees.

We need to talk.

More than ten humanitarian corridors have been activated. Kyiv region, Luhansk region... In one day 5,550 people were rescued. Over six days — already over 130 thousand. We need to talk.

And this is also — thanks to negotiations. We must understand this.

Unfortunately, in Mariupol the humanitarian corridor was blocked again. Once more. We did everything that was necessary. Ensured silence. Russian troops violated the movement of cargo and buses.

But we will try again. We will keep trying. Until we can help our people. Because they — ours. Our Mariupol. Heroic Mariupol.

Ukrainians! Ukrainian women!

We are going through the most severe test in our history, in our lives.

We are defending what is dearest to us.

We must hold on. We must fight.

And we will win. I know this. I believe it.

Glory to you!

Glory to our people!

Glory to our heroes!

Glory to Ukraine!»