乐鱼 体育

On August 24, 2024, Ukrainians marked their thirty-third Independence Day. Political tradition dictates that on that day, the president delivers a special speech, a message that takes its cue from , 鈥淭o the Dead, the Living, and the Unborn.鈥� 

These speeches are usually short but include the president鈥檚 personal take on the current situation, linking it to the country鈥檚 history, and an inspiring look into the nation鈥檚 future prospects as seen from the presidential chair atop the Pechersk Hills (the Kyiv area where most of the power institutes are headquartered). Typically, the presidents and their speechwriters try to spice up these speeches with hints at the nation鈥檚 destiny. 

For all these reasons, each such speech is an ideological performance and a milestone that allows tracing the arc of each presidency. 

This year, Volodymyr Zelensky delivered his sixth Independence Day presidential speech, a rare achievement in Ukraine鈥檚 history. It was a remarkable performance that shed light on his presidential path. Here I look back at all of Zelensky鈥檚 presidential speeches and show how his presidency and Ukraine have evolved over the past five years.

2019 

A young, lonely, and somewhat insecure-looking Volodymyr Zelensky starts his  thanking the soldiers on the Donbas front. He confesses that his daily routine starts with 鈥渁n SMS from General Staff鈥� on the frontline situation and losses.

Then he recalls the thousand years of Ukraine鈥檚 existence, from Kyivan Rus鈥� to the Cossacks to  to  to the activities of , 鈥渨ho paved the path to independence.鈥�

He addresses the young generation, born in independent Ukraine. He voices his expectation that youth will be the champion of the country鈥檚 democracy and European future. 

He recalls prewar Ukraine, when people came together around achievements in sports, business, pop culture, and space travel. 

Then he turns to the Euromaidan and the start of the war in 2014. The need to defend the country has taught Ukrainians a new meaning of unity, he says. 

His address ends with intimate words of love for Ukraine and pain for the losses the country and its people have sustained during the five-year-long war. He looks forward to peacetime, when his daily SMS report might bring news of how many kids are being born in Ukraine.

2020

A serious, self-assured man standing near his team on Sophia Square on August 29 starts his Independence Day  for 鈥渢he citizens of Ukraine鈥� with the statement that his daily SMS report included zero losses in the Donbas. 

He mentions the historical significance of the square, where Yaroslav the Wise  the Pechenegs, where Ukraine鈥檚 Unity Act  in 1919, and from where the Nazis were kicked out in 1943. Speaking at this notable site, he continues the tradition of celebrating Ukraine鈥檚 independence, together with 65 million ethnic Ukrainians around the globe.

The COVID-19 pandemic has , and president refers to the need to care about the health of all Ukrainians.

Then he urges unity in the face of growing political tensions. He calls on his audience to 鈥渓ove Ukraine together鈥� and stop competing over 鈥渨ho loves her more.鈥� He extends this call to those living in Donetsk and Crimea in the hope that these communities will rejoin Ukraine in future. 

He promises to build a Ukraine for all鈥攆or those who live in the country and outside it, and in each region and each profession.

He ends his speech with a strong call for national unity around the project of Ukraine鈥檚 dream.

2021

A wiser, almost smiling man starts his  with unusual pomp. To an audience of 鈥渓adies and gentlemen, brothers, partners, and friends,鈥� he recalls that the day marks the thirtieth anniversary of Ukraine鈥檚 independence, of the 鈥渞enewal of its statehood鈥� and the establishment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It is also the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Ukrainian currency and constitution, he notes. He concludes this part of his speech with the words: 鈥淲e are a young country with a thousand-year history. We are building our home on the land where our ancestors lived and created鈥� We are the descendants of a powerful country that was the center of Europe.鈥�

Then he turns to his new ideology and to memory politics. Kyiv is the city of origin of Orthodox Christianity, the Church Slavonic tongue, and the Ukrainian language. He promises to repatriate to Ukraine the remains of the historical Ukrainian heroes who were not buried on its territory. He promises to fight for each piece of history and each historical person, and not to allow 鈥渁nyone to annex them ever again.鈥�

He reports that Ukraine is building a new army and naval fleet, new bases and weapons stockpiles, new roads and new digital services. He also reports on taking away MPs鈥� immunity, hinting on his readiness to punish corruption and treason.

Then he promises to lead Ukraine to membership in NATO and the EU, and to return Donbas and the Crimea to Ukrainian control in the foreseeable future. 

He ends by describing the Ukrainian populace as a multiethnic 鈥渘ational team鈥� and bilingual 鈥渇amily鈥� that can defend its country. And he calls for a moment of silence in memory of the fallen soldiers.

2022

An aged and tired man in a military t-shirt standing among broken-down armored vehicles  to 鈥渢he free people of independent Ukraine.鈥� He states that after six months of the big war, Ukrainians remain resilient and strong people. 

He assures his listeners that now every Ukrainian knows who is who: who is an enemy, a friend, a partner. And the world knows who Ukrainians are: they are people that none would ever again refer to as 鈥渓iving near Russia.鈥� He believes that Ukrainians 鈥渉ave given humanity a new hope that justice has not left our cynical world for good,鈥� and that this humanity has forced politicians around the world to support Ukraine. 

He explains that the Ukrainian resistance to Russian invaders is a 鈥渘ew referendum鈥� affirming independence. And the votes in this referendum are divided between those who 鈥渓eft for Monaco鈥� and those who 鈥渟tayed to defend Mariupol.鈥�

He explains his change of strategy: 鈥淲e used to say peace. Now we say victory.鈥� He promises no more talks, only a struggle for final victory.

He ends by stating that now the national unity in Ukraine is around the fight, the independence, and the victory.

2023

An even more aged and tired-looking man in a military , flanked by a patriotic poster, looks directly into the eyes of the viewer. This man  to the 鈥渆ntire Ukrainian people.鈥�

The struggle goes on the battlefield and in each small act of resistance, he says. He thanks each warrior, each warrior鈥檚 family, each teacher and doctor, each volunteer, each supporter of Ukraine. He urges remembering each person who has given his or her life for the cause of independent Ukraine. 

He ends his short address by thanking each victim of the war and everyone who continues in the resistance. 

2024 

An aged but energetic man standing among the dunes on the border of   to 鈥渢he dear people.鈥� 

Ukrainians 鈥渁lways pay their debts,鈥� he says. And: 鈥淭hose who want to sow evil on our land will reap its fruits on their own territory.鈥� Russia that marched on Ukraine across this very border now sees the war brought home to its own territory. He refers to Vladimir Putin as a 鈥渟ick old man鈥� with 鈥渇aded eyes鈥� who brought down war on his 鈥渙rcs鈥� from 鈥渢he swamps.鈥�

He promises that Ukraine will surprise the world with victory. And he thanks each person who has stood with Ukraine during all 913 days of fighting. 

Every Ukrainian now knows what independence is, he says. He predicts that Ukraine will be free and the enemy will be punished soon.

Zelensky鈥檚 presidency has indeed seen different periods during his tenure. But these speeches demonstrate well how all those different periods mesh in a forward-looking account of destiny, his and the Ukrainians鈥�. 

The opinions expressed in this article are those solely of the author and do not reflect the views of the Kennan Institute.