Zelenskyy to French Parliament: Europe Is No Longer a Continent of Peace

A day after his participation in the D-Day commemorations in Normandy, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a plea for support before the Assemblée Nationale.

On Friday, June 7, Ukraine’s President urged the Western powers to intensify their efforts in securing a “just peace” amid Ukraine’s ongoing struggle against the Russian invasion. He expressed confidence in Kyiv’s eventual triumph in the war.

Speaking before the Assemblée in Paris, Ukrainian President cautioned that eight decades following the D-Day landings, Europe could no longer be viewed as a continent of peace, given Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. “Can [Russian self-proclaimed President Vladimir] Putin win this battle?” Zelenskyy asked. “No. Because you and I have no right to lose.”

Rejecting the notion of achieving peace in Ukraine based on the current territorial delineations, Zelenskyy emphasized that with Russian forces entrenched deep within Ukrainian borders, such a scenario was untenable. “Can this war end on the lines that exist now? No. Because there are no lines for evil: not 80 years ago, not now. And if someone tries to draw temporary lines, it will only give a pause before a new war.”

Ukrainian President referred to French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement on June 6 that France will transfer Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to Ukraine: “Your combat aircraft, your brilliant fighter jets in the hands of Ukrainian pilots will prove that Europe is stronger than the evil that dared to threaten it.”

Zelenskyy voiced his optimism that the upcoming peace summit hosted by Switzerland later in the month would expedite a fair resolution to the war. “The inaugural peace summit could become a format that would bring closer a just end to this war,” Zelenskyy said. “I am grateful for all you are already doing and it is a lot. But for a fair peace, more must be done.”

The Summit on Peace for Ukraine aims to restore the territorial integrity of Ukraine and is scheduled to take place on June 15-16, 2024, in Bürgenstock, near the Swiss city of Lucerne.