In his evening address yesterday, September 3, the President talked about Ukraine’s new agreements regarding defense packages, news about the maritime corridor, the opening of negotiations on membership in the European Union and the replacement of the Minister of Defense.
“I wish you health, dear Ukrainian men and women!
After the week is over, I want to say a few things.
First: Ukraine has become stronger. We have new agreements with partners regarding defense packages. And, by the way, today in a conversation with French President Macron, we discussed what new supply can help our soldiers. We discussed the protection of our Odesa region – what France can do to protect Odesa and the region. And there is a very important agreement on the training of our pilots in France – our coalition of modern fighters is becoming stronger. There are important things that we are doing in Ukraine for our protection every week more and more intensively. This also applies to our weapons – from guns and shells to drones and missiles. This also applies to our unity. In particular, unity in not perceiving everything and everyone, which weakens Ukraine.
Second: we constantly prove that we can do things together that seem fantastic to the rest of the world, but work in reality when Ukrainians undertake them. Already four vessels have passed through our new, alternative sea corridor from our southern seaports. And we are working with our partners around the world to restore the normal functioning of the “grain corridor”, which has ensured and must ensure food security on a global scale. I thank everyone who helps with this.
Third: in the coming months, Ukraine must achieve several concrete results. In particular, this is our strategic political goal – the opening of negotiations on membership with the European Union. Ukraine has seven specific recommendations of the European Commission. We have already implemented some of them. For the sake of the other part, effective work of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is needed. Timely work that we agreed with the European Commission. The law on the restoration of electronic declaration, amendments to the law on national minorities and, I will especially draw attention to it, the “law on PEPs” – politically exposed persons, politically significant persons. Each of these laws has a fundamental meaning. And voting on them will be of fundamental importance. People will see who is worth what. And I urge people’s deputies of Ukraine not to delay these decisions, not to let Ukraine down and support our European integration.
Another very important thing.
This week, the parliament will be asked to adopt a personnel decision. I want to outline it now. I decided to replace the Minister of Defense of Ukraine. Oleksiy Reznikov went through more than 550 days of full-scale war. I believe that the Ministry needs new approaches and other formats of interaction both with the military and with society in general. The Ministry is now headed by Rustem Umyerov. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine knows this person well, and Mr. Umyerov does not need additional introductions. I expect the parliament to support this candidacy.
Autumn is a time to strengthen.
Glory to Ukraine!”, the President noted.