Zelensky Vows Russia Will Be Defeated

While commemorating victory on Europe Day President Volodymyr Zelensky, vowed that Russia would be defeated in Ukraine like Nazi Germany was beaten in World War II.

In a video statement recorded in front of a war memorial, Zelensky said all the old evil that modern Russia is bringing back will be defeated just as Nazism was defeated.

His address came on the anniversary of Nazi Germany’s surrender to Allied forces on May 8, 1945, and one day ahead of victory day in Moscow, celebrating the Soviet Union’s victory in world war ii.

Zelensky said he had submitted a bill to parliament to formally commemorate World War II in Ukraine also on May 8, which for years was marked on May 9 like in Russia and other ex-Soviet countries.

The move is just the latest in a series of steps Ukraine has taken in recent years to distance itself from Moscow, including by renaming streets and towns named after Soviet figures.

Zelensky said Ukraine would instead mark Europe Day on May 9, which promotes peace and unity on the continent.

The EU welcomed the move and said European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen would visit Kyiv for talks with Zelensky on Tuesday.

This comes as Brussels proposed a fresh round of sanctions on Russia. A spokesman said the measures would seek to tackle the evasion of sanctions.

The Kremlin has leaned on World War II rhetoric to justify its invasion, saying in February last year it was launching the war to “de-Nazify” Ukraine.

But the Ukraine leader said the Kremlin was responsible for “aggression and annexation, occupation and deportation,” as well as “mass murder and torture.”

“All of this will be answered by our victory — the victory of Ukraine and the free world,” Zelensky said.

The address came hours after Ukrainian forces said they had downed 35 drones launched by Russia in an attack that left five people wounded in Kyiv.