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Breanna Robinson
Mar 08, 2022
Ukraine's President Zelensky receives standing ovation from House of Commons
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered his speech to the UK MPs about Russia's war against the country - and it left people in tears.
On Tuesday, Zelensky said the following to parliament: "We do not want to lose what we have, what is ours, our country Ukraine – just the same as you did not want to lose your country when the Nazis started to fight your country and you had to fight for Britain."
Zelensky also referenced a wartime speech from former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, which was heartbreaking yet inspirational.
"We will not give up, and we will not lose.
"We will fight to the end in the sea, in the air. We will fight for our land, whatever the costs.
"We will fight in the forests, in the fields, on the shores, in the streets," he said.
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The president also addressed Prime Minister Boris Johnson directly and said: "I'm very grateful to you, Boris ... please increase the pressure of sanctions, and please recognise this country [Russia] as a terrorist state, and please make sure our Ukrainian skies are safe."
Afterwards, the speech to the Commons was met with standing ovations before and after from MPs, and Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle gave kudos to the "courage" of Zelensky and the people of Ukraine.
People immediately took to Twitter to address their sorrow while making the sentiments that the people of the country would remain in their prayers.
"@ZelenskyyUa Ukraine! Ukraine!Ukraine!! I watched your address to the house of Commons from the USA. Brought tears to my eyes. I'm praying for Ukraine. #Ukraine," one wrote.
“Watching @ZelenskyyUa address the commons was such a hard thing to watch. There was not one person in my workplace that didn’t have tears. I think the words echoed across the country and the world #WeStandWithUkraine,” another added.
A third wrote: “Having just watched president Zelensky address the House of Commons, had me in tears. I feel useless. My heart breaks for them. #IStandWithUkriane.”
See other reactions below:
OMG: Zelensky quoting Churchill in the House of Commons\u2026I was in tears \u201cWe will never surrender, we will fight them in the air and on the land...in the forests, on the Dnieper.\u201d— Aatish Taseer (@Aatish Taseer) 1646759821
A number of MPs are visibly in tears at the end of Zelensky\u2019s address to the Commons.— Isabel Hardman (@Isabel Hardman) 1646759562
Your words to the UK House of Commons drove me to tears, may they drive the UK Government to do more, then even more, and more again.\n\n"To be."— fraidofthedark (@fraidofthedark) 1646760472
The historic address came shortly after Johnson’s government announced that the UK will cease the import of Russian oil and oil products by the end of 2022.
The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered. To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here. To sign the petition click here. If you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page.