Zelensky: “This is a fight for our future”

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, addressed Ukrainians and the world in his daily speech to emphasize that this war with Russia is a struggle for the future of all his people.

“Whatever happens, we all have to think about the future, what Ukraine will be like after this war, what our lives will be like because this is a fight for our future,” he said.

Earlier, he criticized before the Belgian House of Representatives that the country continues to trade diamonds from Russia, as this sector is excluded from the European sanctions imposed by the invasion of Ukraine.

As part of the interventions before various national parliaments, the Ukrainian leader addressed the Belgian MPs from whom he called for their support for Ukraine's accession to the EU and to stop the Russian offensive.

At this point, he brought up the issue of diamonds, which are not subject to European sanctions after Belgium, which has key companies in the sector, has struggled to keep this sector out of the EU's punitive measures.

“There are those for whom Russian diamonds, sometimes sold in Antwerp, are more important, those who accept Russian ships in their ports and the income from these ships is more important than our struggle,” Zelenski criticized.

In any case, the Ukrainian leader appreciated that Belgium was one of the first countries to send aid to Kiev and called for it to set an example to “do more” against Russia and bring an end to the conflict soon.

“Peace is more valuable than Russian diamonds, than Russian ships, than agreements with Russia, than Russian oil and gas,” he stressed before the Belgian parliament referring to the historic diamond market in the port city of Belgium. “So help us,” he said.

Also today Zelensky called Kiev's ambassadors to Morocco and Georgia, saying that they did not do enough to get weapons for Ukraine or get these countries to institute sanctions against Russia.

“There are those who work so that Ukraine can defend itself and fight for its future and there are those who waste time clinging to their posts. I have signed a first decree to withdraw that person, the ambassador to Morocco,” he said in a video message Wednesday.

“We have also withdrawn Ambassador Georgia,” he added. Kiev's envoy to Georgia, Igor Dolgov, had been called for consultations earlier this month after Tbilisi refused to pass sanctions against Russia.

Georgia had also blocked volunteer fighters from the Caucasus country from going to Ukraine. “With all due respect, there are no weapons, no sanctions, no restrictions on Russian business. Please find another job,” Zelensky said.

(With information from EP and AFP)

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