Zelenskyy Addresses Congress
It's NAY from NATO as the alliance formally comments on the crisis after three weeks
As we enter the third week of the conflict, the West will be judged on how they responded to the crisis. Wars are traditionally fought on the battlefield, and then reported on and analysed afterwards because realistically you can’t do that when the fighting is in full swing. This battle is also of one being played out in the media, some with the usual propaganda, and with many commentators making suggestions on what someone is thinking, what they should do, and what the outcome should be.
One thing that we know for certain is that Zelenskyy will be known as the brave and courageous hero fighting for democracy, while Putin has proved he is a ruthless and mad dictator. How will the West and their leaders, the UN, NATO, and the ICC be judged in the years to come? They can do the talk, but not the walk. If the fighting had been on the borders of France or Italy, it pains me to say that there may have been more proactive measures taken, and faster.
Last night as I was winding down and reading the latest on the crisis, some countries and media outlets are talking about the cost of repairing Ukraine, and how will Russia finance the $500 billion bill that is estimated. I shake my head because they are discussing something when the destruction continues, and in a way one can say the West allowed it because it didn’t affect them directly. They can do their press conferences and make speeches on what they think should happen, but it is hardly constructive when Kyiv is under a curfew and being attacked. They are talking about repair costs while the attacks are taking place. Hand them the coffin before they are dead so to speak. Who is going to force Russia for pay? Surely it is more important to stop the invasion before you think of rebuilding a country?
Those in Odesa knew the Russians would come for them as the final block on the south coast, and as the Russians have control of the Black Sea, it has effectively stopped all trade or transport via the sea. Are the actions of a regime looking for a ceasefire? Does the Ukrainian army have enough personnel and arms spread all over the country?
NATO has been a big issue during this conflict and has left many seeing the alliance as window dressing with not much behind it. Even the meeting with the EU leaders from the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovenia was for show, and while the words of support were appreciated, their words offered little comfort to those who are now refugees, and those who are hiding to survive. The words, speeches, addresses, and NATO are symbolic gestures of support for democracy, but we all know sacrifices must be made and that there will be bloodshed—the question is how much more can be allowed to happen?
Others are speculating that Zelenskyy is conceding that NATO membership will not happen in the foreseeable future, Some will ask why Ukraine didn’t join earlier, but the country was mired with a series of corrupt and pro-Russian governments and ministers that did not seek protection because they were under a Russian influence. How is NATO responding? That have remained silent rather than make a statement that Ukraine may join, and no country in Europe is barred from doing so. The lack of action makes NATO look weak, for they can organise training camps and lots of discussions on what measures to take, yet when it comes to the crunch, Putin is actually testing NATO to see how weak it is and what areas can be exploited. No one has done that before. As it has taken three weeks for a formal statement, that isn’t good. He has also seen that NATO is not as united as it is made out to be with the US rejection of the Polish jets, and that is a weakness he can exploit. While countries rush to get EU membership, it offers some protection but not much because the EU is about power and politics. They always want something in return, and the EU has no army of its own either, and any aid would be dependent on the individual states. Putin probably has troops watching the NATO response teams to see how they act, and like a cat watching its prey, he will pounce when the target lets their guard down.
Putin has divided Europe, between the states that were former Soviet states and that are geographically closer to Ukraine and Russia, versus the one that are to the west, who are less affected directly. The former Soviet states are fully aware of the ethics of the Russian army, and that they basically have none. The western countries believe that diplomacy will work, but when you deal with a mad dictator it doesn’t. Any fool knows that.
The most honest and realistic, and useful thing I have heard in the entire three weeks of this conflict is from the president of Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda, who stated that the behaviour of Russia will not change. He suggests that the West be more decisive on how they choose to defend Europe, and that means NATO must evolve if it wishes to be an alliance of any worth in the future. The threat of NATO was enough to deter war for 73 years, but Putin is putting NATO to the test and it is failing.
Over the years, the West has opened the doors to Putin and Russia, giving both an opportunity to prove their reputation wrong. That has been to their detriment. Former Soviet states (that either have or have sought EU and NATO membership) are fully aware of what life was life before 1991, and that Russia will not change and will always be an aggressor. Only those born before 1965 will have a good idea of what life was really like under Russian rule, and they are the ones speaking out and who seek action rather than sanctions.
The West forget that Russians and those in the former Soviet states are used to living with sanctions, on rations, and in difficult circumstances. That’s what makes them hardy, and why sanctions won’t hit them personally, but the businesses will suffer. Yes, you have some of the new generation upset that they can’t access Instagram, but go back a century or so, and most were living off a boiled potato, bread and cabbage. They survived, and so cutting off fast food, and social media isn’t going to make that much of a difference.
Zelenskyy addressed Congress today, reminded them of Pearl Harbour, and 9/11 and that this is fight for democracy for all and not just Ukraine. He asked again to ‘protect the skies’ and again his request fell on deaf ears. Images of the destruction were shown, and while he received a standing ovation, that doesn’t help the people of Ukraine much. While more funds have been signed off to help Ukraine, isn’t that like giving a man with a gunshot wound a box of bandages and a packet to band-aids?
As expected the ICJ ruled that Russia’s claim to invade Ukraine is illegal and they are ordered to stop. I don’t think Putin has much regard for any laws, especially a court that has no means to enforce their rulings.
Day 21 (16 March)
Zelenskyy addresses the US Congress, and thanks them for their help and requests more aid and to protect the skies. The request will be denied again, and alternative aid will be offered.
The people of Odesa are being surrounded by Russian troops as expected.
The Russians are targeting hospitals and civilians. Reports of people being killed while queuing to buy bread is released by the US Embassy in Kyiv.
The ICJ rules that the Russian invasion is illegal and they must stop immediately and lay down their arms. There are no bodies to enforce this.
Talks between Ukraine and Russia continue and the Russians suggest Ukraine follow the Austrian model of neutrality. Ukraine reject this. What this means is this they can never participate in a war, never allow foreign military bases to be set up in the country, and cannot join any military alliance. They may join the EU (so far the EU does not have an army) and keep their army, but if any country invades they cannot participate in a war.
Poland advises that an international peacekeeping mission should be sent to Ukraine with a military presence.
Europe is divided and is concerned about the economy and the effect of the war. The countries nearest to Ukraine are more concerned about possible invasions because they know how Russia acts, and the ones further west hope that sanctions work and are concerned about the financial impact it will have on the economy.
The US Senate have voted to name Putin as a war criminal. It has no legal standing but indicates that the US are aware that they need to create better defensive measures against the Russians.
NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg makes a statement for the first time on the Ukrainian crisis, stating that the world is behind Ukraine and that they are using sanctions as a means of support. He further states that NATO has provided weapons and training over the years. However, his weak words show how powerless NATO is because they chose that path. The whole world is not behind Ukraine, the democratic world is but there are countries that support Russia because they have their own agenda. NATO does not speak for the world, and needs a good shake up to move with the times.
As to the question of a no-fly zone, it has been denied, and NATO acts as an alliance regardless of what individual states think. Stoltenberg said little on Ukraine becoming a member of NATO other than it is for the country to decide if it wishes to become a member!
Russian troops have targeted shelters, hospitals, and civilians on the street which amounts to war crimes. They know this and they don’t care.
The ICJ (International Court of Justice) in The Hague has ordered Russia to cease their military operation in Ukraine and for both parties to refrain from actions that will lead to a resolution. The ruling is binding, but there is no body to enforce it. That is why people have little regard for such bodies because what is the point of a ruling if it can’t enforce it?
The Russian Federation’s membership of the Council of Europe has been officially suspended. I don’t think the Russians particularly care!
The abducted mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov has been released.
The IMF has suspended the honorary role of a member (Aleksei Mozhin) because they are Russian. This came about because they were under pressure from shareholder countries.
Ukraine has now joined the European power grid. It is a step closer to the EU.
Putin has declared that sanctions will not have an effect on the country, and that the bank doesn't need to print more money.
Attacks on Kyiv and Odesa continue as the main targets in Ukraine.
As NATO doesn’t seem to be very functional, Zelenskyy suggests another alliance U-24, United for Peace, where countries would come together to help each other in need whether it is a conflict, natural disaster, or a pandemic.
Zelenskyy’s speech to the US Congress on 16 March 2022.
Glory to heroes.
Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, members of the Congress, ladies and gentlemen, Americans, friends. I’m proud to greet you from Ukraine, from our capital city of Kyiv, a city that is under missile and airstrikes from Russian troops every day, but it doesn’t give up. And we have not even thought about it for a second, just like many other cities and communities in our beautiful country, which found themselves in the worst war since World War II.
I have the honor to greet you on behalf of the Ukrainian people, brave and freedom-loving people who for eight years have been resisting the Russian aggression, those who give their best sons and daughters to stop this full-scale Russian invasion.
Right now, the destiny of our country is being decided, the destiny of our people, whether Ukrainians will be free, whether they will be able to preserve their democracy. Russia has attacked not just us, not just our land, not just our cities; it went on a brutal offensive against our values, basic human values. It threw tanks and planes against our freedom, against our right to live freely in our own country, choosing our own future against our desire for happiness, against our national dreams, just like the same dreams you have, you Americans, just like anyone else in the United States.
I remember your national memorial in Rushmore, the faces of your prominent presidents, those who laid the foundation of the United States of America as it is today: democracy, independence, freedom and care for everyone, for every person, for everyone who works diligently, who lives honestly, who respects the law. We in Ukraine want the same for our people: all that is a normal part of your own life. Ladies and gentlemen, friends, Americans, in your great history you have pages that would allow you to understand Ukrainians. Understand us now, when you need it right now — when we need you right now.
Remember Pearl Harbor — terrible morning of December 7, 1941, when your sky was black from the planes attacking you. Just remember it. Remember September the 11th, a terrible day in 2001, when evil tried to turn your cities, independent territories in battlefields, when innocent people were attacked, attacked from air. Yes, just like nobody else expected it. You could not stop it. Our country experienced the same every day, right now, at this moment, every night for three weeks now.
Various Ukrainian cities, Odessa and Kovel, Chernihiv and Sumy, (inaudible), Mariupol and Dnipro — Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky into a source of death for thousands of people. Russian troops have already fired nearly 1,000 missiles at Ukraine, countless bombs. They use drones to kill us with precision. This is a terror that Europe has not seen for 80 years, and we are asking for a reply, for an answer to this terror from the whole world. Is this a lot to ask for, to create a no-fly zone — zone over Ukraine to save people? Is this too much to ask — humanitarian no-fly zone, something that Ukraine — that Russia would not be able to terrorize our free cities? If this is too much to ask, we offer an alternative.
You know what kind of defense systems we need, S-300 and other similar systems. You know how much depends on the battlefield on the ability to use aircraft, powerful, strong air — aviation to protect our people, our freedom, our land, aircraft that can help Ukraine, help Europe. And you know that they exist, and you have them, but they are on earth, not in Ukraine — in the Ukrainian sky. They do not defend our people.
“I have a dream.” These words are known to each of you today. I can say, “I have a need: I need to protect our sky.” I need your decision, your help, which means exactly the same, the same you feel when you hear the words “I have a dream.” Ladies and gentlemen, friends, Ukraine is grateful to the United States for its overwhelming support, for everything that U.S. government and your people have done for us, for weapons and ammunition, for training, for finances, for leadership in the free world, which helps us to pressure the aggressor economically. I am grateful to President Biden for his personal involvement, for his sincere commitment to the defense of Ukraine and democracy all over the world. I am grateful to you for the resolution which recognizes all those who commit crimes against Ukraine, against the Ukrainian people as war criminals. However, now it is true in the darkest time for our country, for the whole Europe, I call on you to do more.
New packages of sanctions are needed constantly, every week until the Russian military machine stops. Restrictions are needed for everyone on whom this unjust regime is based. We propose that the United States sanctions all politicians in the Russian Federation who remain in their offices and do not cut ties with those who are responsible for the aggression against Ukraine, from state Dumas members to the last official who has lack of moral to break this state terror. All American companies must leave Russia from their market — leave their market immediately, because it is flooded with our blood. Ladies and gentlemen, members of Congress, please take the lead. If you have companies in your districts who finance the Russian military machine leaving business in Russia, you should put pressure. I’m asking to make sure that the Russians do not receive a single penny that they use to destroy people in Ukraine, the destruction of our country, the destruction of Europe. All American ports should be closed for Russian goods. Peace is more important than income, and we have to defend this principle in the whole world.
We already became part of the antiwar coalition, big antiwar coalition that unites many countries, dozens of countries, those who reacted to — in principle to President Putin’s decision to invade our country, but we need to move on and do more. We need to create new tools to respond quickly and stop the war — the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24th, and it would be fair if it ended in a day, in 24 hours, that evil would be punished immediately. Today, the world does not have such tools. The wars of the past have prompted our predecessors to create institutions that should protect us from war, but they, unfortunately, don’t work. We see it. You see it. So we need new ones, new institutions, new alliances, and we offer them.
We propose to create an association, U-24, United For Peace, a union of responsible countries that have the strength and consciousness to stop conflict immediately, provide all the necessary assistance in 24 hours, if necessary, even weapons, if necessary, sanctions, humanitarian support, political support, finances — everything you need to keep the peace and quickly save the world, to save lives. In addition, such association, such union could provide assistance to those who are — experiencing natural disasters, man-made disasters, who fell victims to humanitarian crisis or epidemic. Remember how difficult it was for the world to do the simplest thing, just to give vaccines, vaccines against covid to save lives, to prevent new strains. The world spent months, years doing things like that much faster to make sure there are no human losses, no victims. Ladies and gentlemen, Americans, if such alliance would exist today, that is, U-24, we would be able to save thousands of lives in our country, in many countries of the world, those who need peace, those who suffer inhumane destruction.
I ask you to watch one video, video of what the Russian troops did in our country, in our land. We have to stop it. We must prevent it, preventively destroy every single aggressor who seeks to subjugate other nations. Please watch the video.
And in the end, to sum it up, today it is not enough to be the leader of the (inaudible). Today, it takes, to be the leader of the world — being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace. Peace in your country doesn’t depend anymore only on you and your people; it depends on those next to you, on those who are strong. Strong doesn’t mean big. Strong is brave and ready to fight for the life of his citizens and citizens of the world, human rights for freedom, for the right to live decently and to die when your time comes, and not when it’s wanted by someone else, by your neighbor.
Today, the Ukrainian people are defending not only Ukraine; we are fighting for the values of Europe and the world, sacrificing our lives in the name of the future. That’s why today, the American people are helping not just Ukraine, but Europe and the world to keep the planet alive, to keep justice in history.
Now, I’m almost 45 years old. Today my age stopped when the heart of more than 100 children stopped beating. I see no sense in life if it cannot stop the deaths. And this is my main mission as the leader of my people, brave Ukrainians, and as the leader of my nation, I’m addressing the President Biden. You are the leader of the nation, of your great nation. I wish you to be the leader of the world. Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace.
Thank you. Slava Ukrayini.
I think the focus should be on the attempts to negotiate a ceasefire. Neutrality should be a choice and not because it is forced upon a country to amend their constitution and laws as a ceasefire tactic. Is it possible? Austria's stance was taken in 1955, and subsequent governments have evolved as has society and humanity and they have amended and worked around elements to fit that in, which included joining the EU.
What neutrality could mean is that Ukraine would be barred from having military bases from other countries in the country, no NATO training exercises, no NATO weapons, they guarantee they will never join a military alliance, and should a country wish to cross through their lands to attack or defend another that will not be permitted. For example, if Poland wanted to defend itself against Russia and requested to transport weapons across the Ukraine border, that would not be permitted. Essentially, if war was to break out with Russia, if neutrality existed then no country would be permitted to enter Russia via Ukraine.
Too much focus seems to be on who is 'winning the war', no one is ever a winner. We should also remember that there are elements of the war that no one has seen, and while the democratic world supports Ukraine, the double edged sword is that if Ukraine is doing so well and winning, then they don't need help from other countries or NATO. The truth is that they do, but by promoting they are winning, they why do they need the no-fly zone they keep asking for.
That's the problem by asking for help, but then promoting that you are doing well and are strong. You can't have it both ways and people look for a reason not to spend money and help if they don't have to.
I have no words. I am ashamed of my country (US) and its leadership, or rather, lack of. Thank you, EL, for everything you are doing. I only wish the powers that be would work as hard for the Ukrainians.