February 24, after the Russian invasion, the dialogue in the Normandy format was destroyed - Zelensky

February 24, after the Russian invasion, the dialogue in the Normandy format was destroyed - Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, addressing the French parliament, said that the Normandy format dialogue was destroyed on February 24 after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The head of state recalled that in 2019, when he became president, the Normandy format already existed and its goal was to end the war in eastern Ukraine.

 

"Four states participated in the Normandy format: Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France. Four, but through them the whole world was represented. The positions of the whole world. Some were supportive, some were trying to delay the process, some wanted to derail everything. But it seemed important that the world was always present at this Normandy Table. The peace table. And when negotiations yielded results, when we managed to free people from captivity in December 2019 - it was like a breath of fresh air or like a glimmer of hope that talking to Russia could help, that the Russian leadership could be persuaded with words so that Moscow would choose peace," Zelensky said.

 

But on Feb. 24, the day Russia invaded Ukraine, the dialogue in the Normandy format, he said, was destroyed.

 

"The day that crossed out all those efforts. Crossed out the old meaning of the word dialogue. Crossed out the European experience of relations with Russia. Crossed out decades of European history. It was all bombed by Russian troops. Destroyed by Russian artillery. Burnt down after Russian missile strikes. The truth was not found in the offices, so now we have to look for it and fight for it on the battlefield," he said.

 

Nevertheless, as the president stressed, Ukrainians still have their values, unity and determination to defend their freedom.

 

"Shared freedom. One. For Paris and Kyiv. For Berlin and Warsaw. For Madrid and Rome. For Brussels and Bratislava. And gulps of fresh air will definitely not help any more. It makes sense to act together, to push together and force the Russian Federation to seek peace," Zelensky said.





Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, addressing the French parliament, said that the Normandy format dialogue was destroyed on February 24 after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The head of state recalled that in 2019, when he became president, the Normandy format already existed and its goal was to end the war in eastern Ukraine.

 

"Four states participated in the Normandy format: Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France. Four, but through them the whole world was represented. The positions of the whole world. Some were supportive, some were trying to delay the process, some wanted to derail everything. But it seemed important that the world was always present at this Normandy Table. The peace table. And when negotiations yielded results, when we managed to free people from captivity in December 2019 - it was like a breath of fresh air or like a glimmer of hope that talking to Russia could help, that the Russian leadership could be persuaded with words so that Moscow would choose peace," Zelensky said.

 

But on Feb. 24, the day Russia invaded Ukraine, the dialogue in the Normandy format, he said, was destroyed.

 

"The day that crossed out all those efforts. Crossed out the old meaning of the word dialogue. Crossed out the European experience of relations with Russia. Crossed out decades of European history. It was all bombed by Russian troops. Destroyed by Russian artillery. Burnt down after Russian missile strikes. The truth was not found in the offices, so now we have to look for it and fight for it on the battlefield," he said.

 

Nevertheless, as the president stressed, Ukrainians still have their values, unity and determination to defend their freedom.

 

"Shared freedom. One. For Paris and Kyiv. For Berlin and Warsaw. For Madrid and Rome. For Brussels and Bratislava. And gulps of fresh air will definitely not help any more. It makes sense to act together, to push together and force the Russian Federation to seek peace," Zelensky said.