President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that over time there were many threats to the freedom of the Ukrainian people and even to their existence, but the people managed to overcome them. “And now we have a historic opportunity to defend Ukrainian freedom once and for all. I think it will be so,” he emphasized, News.ro reports.

In a video message sent on Monday evening, Zelensky noted that today is Paratroopers’ Day – the Day of Airborne Troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, wearing a representative T-shirt that was presented to him. He listed the landing brigades that distinguished themselves in the liberation of certain territories of Ukraine, thanked them.

Zelenskyi added that on this occasion he presented awards to the best fighters at a ceremony held in the White Hall of Heroes of Ukraine in the Mariinsky Palace.

“Our paratroopers, like all defense forces of Ukraine, paid an extremely high price for our people to preserve their freedom. Thousands of Ukrainian men and women died fighting for our state. We should always remember them. We must always pay tribute to their courage and self-sacrifice,” he said.

The President of Ukraine revealed that he spoke at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly about his country’s contribution to the defense of freedom and European values.

He called on the countries of the Alliance to act for the implementation of the Ukrainian Peace Formula, which “can guarantee peace and justice for Ukraine and for the entire Euro-Atlantic community.” At the same time, he appealed to the parliaments of NATO member countries to adopt a decision to recognize Russia as a “terrorist state.”

“I think that gradually we will achieve this result – this is how Russia will be perceived in the world. Exactly what it became. A terrorist state. And I thank all the members of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly who today adopted the relevant resolution to confirm this and our other positions,” said Zelensky.

He also revealed that he discussed with French President Emmanuel Macron the immediate implementation of some points of the Peace Formula, more specifically about radioactive safety and the situation at the Zaporizhia NPP, as well as about the energy security of Ukraine and Europe.

Zelensky noted that work is underway to ensure the implementation of the order of the International Atomic Energy Agency to stop hostilities with regard to Ukrainian nuclear centers, and for this the demilitarization of the Zaporizhzhia plant is extremely important.

“Russia should withdraw all its fighters from there and stop bombing the plant,” he said.

As for the energy supply, Zelenskyi revealed that the workers had to interrupt the electricity both for stabilization and unplanned, this was caused by more consumption than this country can cover at the moment.

He called on the regional authorities and local communities to continue talking about the rational consumption of electricity.

“Of course, power systems, utility workers, rescuers and everyone involved are working at their maximum. But the systemic damage to the power system caused by Russian terrorist attacks is so significant that all people and all companies must be very frugal and spread consumption over hours. Tonight, the situation is particularly difficult in Kyiv and the region, as well as in Vinnytsia, Sumy, Ternopil, Cherkasy, Odesa and other cities and districts. Please try to limit your personal electricity consumption to areas where there is the greatest difficulty on a daily basis, especially during peak hours in terms of consumption. Of course, an economical approach is needed in public places as well,” Zelenskyi said.

He continued, noting that now is the ninth anniversary of the beginning of the Maidan – the Revolution of Dignity.

“Ninth… but the freedom and dignity of the Ukrainian people is more than a thousand years old. This should be remembered. There were many threats to the freedom of our people and even to the existence of Ukrainians. But people managed to overcome it. And now we have a historic opportunity to defend Ukrainian freedom once and for all. I think it will be so,” he concluded. (News.ro)