Today, Ukrainians celebrate the Day of Dignity and Freedom, a symbol of the beginning of the heroic resistance to the attempted abduction of Ukraine to the Russian evil empire in 2004 and 2013. Ukrainian women and men are proving once again that, unlike Russia, they are part of Europe and will always fight for their freedom and dignity.
Czechia, or then Czechoslovakia, was also stolen and subjugated to Russian oppression at the end of World War II, along with other Central European countries. Milan Kundera's essay “The Stolen West, or the Tragedy of Central Europe,” first published these days 41 years ago, brilliantly describes the struggle to preserve identity in the face of the Russian totalitarian machine.
Ukrainian citizens have been defending their identity for years. For the past 10 years, this struggle has been at war, and for almost the last three years, it has been an all-out war, with a high cost in casualties and losses. I understand the growing fatigue and frustration with the West's not always quick and effective assistance, as well as the fear of another hard winter and brutal Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. Last weekend's attack hit me especially hard because on Sunday we were celebrating the Czech Republic's Day of Freedom and Democracy and rejoicing in our return to Europe. Like Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity in 2013, this return was the slogan and demand of the Velvet Revolution of 1989.
Russia's crimes against Ukraine are also crimes against the whole of Europe and must be punished. Russia seeks to destroy Ukraine's freedom, identity and future by targeting civilians and abducting children. More than 20,000 children have already been subjected to forced “re-education.”
Despite all these heinous crimes, Moscow will not be able to deprive Ukrainians of their future. I am confident that this future will be European - within the European Union. Even in wartime, Ukraine is actively working to harmonize its legislation with the EU law. The start of official negotiations on EU accession in June this year is a huge achievement of the government, state institutions, civil society and think tanks.
Ukraine's path to the EU will not be easy, just like the restoration of territorial integrity within the 1991 borders. It will require a lot of patience, resources, difficult negotiations and decisions. The Czechs understand and support Ukraine's aspirations for freedom, dignity and a European future. We supported you in the first days of the invasion in February 2022 by providing weapons, including rocket launchers, tanks, and attack helicopters. This year, through the Czech Ammunition Initiative and other mechanisms, we will deliver hundreds of thousands of artillery shells and provide quality training to several thousand Ukrainian soldiers.
We will continue to help Ukraine integrate into NATO and the EU, and we will work to ensure that the European Union is more resolute in protecting the security of the whole of Europe in the face of Russian aggression.
Glory to Ukraine and glory to all Ukrainian heroes who are fighting for Ukraine and Europe!
Read this article in Ukrainian and russian.