Ukraine marks 33 years of independence with a strong message from Zelensky

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Ukraine's Independence Day, "The sick old man from Red Square, constantly threatening everyone with a red button, will not dictate his "red lines" to us." He added that Ukraine and Ukrainians will decide how to live, which path to take, and which choices to make.

- Today we celebrate the 33rd Independence Day of Ukraine. And what the enemy brought to our land has now returned to his home. The one who wanted to turn our land into a buffer zone should consider whether his country will become a buffer federation. That's how independence responds, - Zelensky said in his 13-minute speech.

The video, published on Saturday morning, on Ukraine's Independence Day, was recorded in the Sumy region - as Zelensky emphasized - "on the border between an independent European state and the largest terrorist organization in the world."

- Our enemy will know what retaliation in the Ukrainian style means. A dignified, symmetrical, long-range retaliation. They will know that every place in the Russian Federation, which is a source of threat to the life of our state and our people, will sooner or later receive a Ukrainian response, - declared the president, referring to the Ukrainian military operation in the Kursk region of Russia.

According to Zelensky, Ukraine surprises the world once again, while Russia resorts to actions and rhetoric known from the past. The president noted that this is exactly the picture emerging from the reports of world media informing about the situation in the Kursk region.

We see there how Russia treats its citizens, whom it calls "the population." How Russia "does not abandon its own." How their soldiers loot shops. This is the face of Putin's Russia in the eyes of the world, - he emphasized.

Zelensky stressed the need for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to gain independence. - There is economic independence, energy independence, but there is also spiritual independence of the Ukrainian nation. Ukrainian Orthodoxy is today taking a step towards freeing itself from Moscow devils, - he announced.

The president thanked all those who helped the Ukrainian army and state and everyone who worked daily for independence. He expressed gratitude to Ukraine and Ukrainians for the 913 days of war and for "proving that independence is everyone's cause and has many dimensions."

On Friday, on the eve of the independence holiday, Zelensky spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden.

- On behalf of the Ukrainian nation, I personally express my gratitude to you, your administration, Congress, and the entire American people for the support that the United States has provided to our country from the first days of the war. This support helps us survive and maintain our statehood, - Zelensky said, addressing the U.S. leader.