On the Day of the National Assembly of Ukraine was held meeting President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and former Prime Minister of Great Britain, member of the British Parliament Boris Johnson with students and teachers of Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University.
The meeting was attended by students from all regions of Ukraine, as well as representatives of the KNU Military Institute.
Answering the questions of the youth, the Head of the Ukrainian State expressed his belief that Ukraine will definitely win this war.
"We have already won because we united, we have a great nation, a great people... In addition, it is important to carry out the physical de-occupation of our territories. Then it will not only be a theoretical or philosophical victory - it will be a reality," said Volodymyr Zelenskyi.
According to him, it is possible to win the victory already in 2023. But for this Ukrainians need to maintain unity and strength.
"The speed (of ending the war. - Ed.) depends on several things: strength inside Ukraine and strength from outside - help from partners. And it is impossible to allow the processes to slow down, both externally and internally, because this will prolong the war," the Head of State emphasized.
The President also rejected any statements regarding the optionality of Ukraine's victory or the admissibility of a partial victory of our state.
"We will not forget anything, we will not forgive anything, we will definitely return everything. We will do all this as a strong civilized state. The future state is a member of the European Union. A future independent state that our partners will see in their circle in NATO," he said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyi noted that ending the war in a fair way is provided for by the peace formula initiated by Ukraine.
"The peace formula is a powerful diplomatic weapon. All the points there are fair and honest for any state, with respect for the UN Charter, sovereignty, and territorial integrity," he said.
In order for this peaceful formula to bring results, it is important to unite friends and partners of Ukraine around its implementation - to enlist the support of both the US and all European leaders, the President noted.
“We, your friends, will help you end this war as soon as possible in 2023. Because it will be best for the world - so that people don't die, and it will be better for Ukraine and, frankly, for the Russian people as well. Let's finish this already," stressed Boris Johnson.
According to him, in order to end the war, the first thing is to provide Ukraine with all the necessary weapons as soon as possible.
"This means that tanks must be provided. I am proud that we are the first country to send Challenger tanks, and we expect tanks from other countries. We want to get planes for the people of Ukraine, and we need more advanced equipment, weapons of all kinds, which will enable you to defend your country," said the former Prime Minister of Great Britain.
He also emphasized that the presence of modern weapons in the Ukrainian army will not lead to escalation, because Russia is already using all its available means on Ukrainian territory.
"I was in Bucha. How can one escalate further in a confrontation where one side is already using the most advanced modern aircraft to bomb residential areas? Ukraine deserves all possible help," the British parliamentarian emphasized.
The President of Ukraine noted that the most important resource of the Ukrainian army is its personnel, which must be protected.
"People are not just important, they are the most important," he said.
Answering a question about replenishing the personnel of the Ukrainian army, the Head of State said that the military leadership was tasked with creating reserves so that the defenders would be able to restore forces after hostilities.
"Because it is difficult for various reasons - both injuries and psychological state. It should be normal," Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed.
The President noted that he could not reveal the details of the mobilization processes, but the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief made the relevant decisions, and the commanders are still working on their implementation in their areas.
As for students, according to Volodymyr Zelenskyi, young people who study can help to convey to the world the truth about what is happening in Ukraine, as well as promote the Ukrainian formula for peace.
"You know how to use social networks and gadgets, you can transmit this information faster than other people," the Head of State noted.
Answering a question about how he sees Ukrainian higher education in the post-war period, Volodymyr Zelenskyi expressed his belief that education in Ukraine should be competitive.
"It seems to me that the most important thing is when any state wants such a student, wants such a specialist. Knowledge is enough to be free. This is very important: not to look for a job, but to be free to be followed by business or state institutions," he said.
The President also stressed that education should be relevant and meet today's needs, without losing educational standards and assets.
In this context, he noted that it was the war that showed Ukraine in which areas it is time to modernize. Thus, missile attacks and hostile drone strikes indicated the need to protect and reformat power grids, cyberattacks - the importance of protecting financial institutions, and blackouts - the need to develop and implement technologies that would work even if everything was completely turned off.
"This is what I mean when I say that education should be competitive and modern. Modern professions. We must know that we can no longer live the way we used to live. And we must build a state that will be a model of security. And it seems to me that we have every chance for this," the President said.
Volodymyr Zelensky once again thanked Boris Johnson for everything he did to support Ukraine and strengthen our defense capabilities.
