Prime Minister Alexander De Croo made a trip to Kyiv to mark the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Delivering a speech on February 24th, 2024 before the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s House of People’s Representatives, he paid tribute to the occasion.
Full Speech is below:
Speech Verkhovna Rada
Kyiv – February 24, 2024
Dear Members of Parliament,
Dear friends,
Allow me to start with a personal experience from my last visit to Ukraine.
As I walked through the streets of Bucha, I was struck by the eerie silence that engulfed the town.
The devastation left by the Russian aggression was evident at every turn – the shattered buildings, the empty streets, the troubled expressions of those who remained.
But amidst the rubble and despair, I witnessed something truly remarkable – the invincible spirit of the Ukrainian people.
Despite the horrors they had endured, they refused to be broken.
Instead, they came together to rebuild their shattered lives, brick by brick, stone by stone.
I met a young family who had lost everything in the conflict – their home, their livelihood, their sense of security.
Yet, despite their hardships, they remained resilient, clinging to hope for a better future.
Their courage and determination were a testament to the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
Belgium stands with all those who have suffered at the hands of aggression and injustice.
Together, we will rebuild, we will heal, and we will prevail.
So let us stand united in solidarity, in support of the brave men, women, and children who call Ukraine home.
I believe that we can overcome the darkness.
We can usher in a new dawn of peace, prosperity, and freedom.
Belgium stands with you, not just in words but in actions.
We’ve allocated significant resources for military aid, humanitarian assistance, and reconstruction efforts.
But our support goes beyond government initiatives – it extends to the countless Belgian citizens who have shown solidarity with Ukraine in various ways.
Today, Ukraine stands at the border between democracy and dictatorship, between right and wrong.
And it is you, the Ukrainian people, who stand on the front lines defending that border for all of us.
If you need ammunition, if you need fighter planes, we must do more, we must do better.
Together, we can achieve victory – not just for Ukraine, but for freedom and democracy everywhere.
So let me say it loud and clear: Glory to Ukraine!
Dear friends,
These are days of momentous remembrance for Ukraine.
Ten years ago, almost to the day, the Revolution of Dignity ended as you decisively chose the path towards the European Union.
What a brave new day it was for Ukraine, full of pride and joy.
But the pride and joy of choosing your own path was severely tainted.
It was tainted by the mournful sorrow of having lost 107 brave men and women, who fell as martyrs in the defense of freedom.
These are days of momentous remembrance for Ukraine.
Ten years ago, Vladimir Putin watched in horror as the Revolution of Dignity unfolded in Ukraine.
The very idea of having a neighbor where democracy, the rule of law and human rights would be the lay of the land… that very idea was unbearable to the man in the Kremlin.
And so, he gave his commands.
Russian troops invaded and occupied Crimea.
Russian troops crept up in the Donbas.
Russian troops began a protracted military struggle and scores upon scores of Ukrainians were killed and brutalized.
To this day, thousands of Ukrainian citizens in Crimea and in the Donbas must live under the Russian boot.
These are indeed days of momentous remembrance for Ukraine.
Two years ago, Putin and his Kremlin cronies assured the world that they had no intention whatsoever to invade Ukraine.
The Russian troops amassed at the border with Ukraine were merely partaking in field exercises.
They claimed Russia was a trustworthy member of the Security Council.
Russia was a true guarantor of international peace and security.
And then on February 24, Putin showed his true colors.
He broke promises, he broke treaties, he broke peace.
But he did not break Ukraine.
Two years ago, to the day, sirens sounded, Russian missiles flew, Russian tanks rolled in.
But your President stood, And Ukraine stood.
And it still stands. And it will continue to stand.
This morning, at the airport of Hostomel, I stood with President Zelenskyi, with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and with Italian Prime Minister Meloni to commemorate the Battle of Hostomel.
Ukrainian troops destroyed Russian paratroopers who were trying to establish a bridgehead.
It was a crucial battle to save Kyiv from being occupied by the Russians.
Ukraine had learned to fight back.
And within weeks the Russians tanks rolled back.
Russian missiles no longer flew, sirens no longer sounded.
Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have been killed in the war.
Millions of Ukrainians have been displaced.
Houses, hospitals, schools have been destroyed.
A great dam has burst, woods are littered with mines, fields are poisoned with heavy metals.
The war has ploughed a deep furrow of sorrow and loss through the land of Ukraine.
All of this, we must not forget, as we look towards the present and as we look towards the future.
I stand here before you not just as the Prime Minister of Belgium, but also as the Presidency of the European Union.
The European Council’s decision to open accession negotiations with Ukraine was historic.
The EU has demonstrated that it is serious about Ukraine’s future in Europe.
But above all, Ukraine has demonstrated that it is serious about its future in Europe.
I cannot commend you enough for the tremendous effort you have made to meet requirements, to put your country on a steady course of reform.
And you have done so in the most difficult of circumstances, you have done so in times of war.
Vitájo !
As you know, the European Union has also delivered on the Ukraine Facility.
We now must urgently overcome our differences and agree on the Ukraine Assistance Fund.
We are fully aware that enduring EU military support for Ukraine is directly linked to the revitalisation of a European defence industry that can deliver and deliver fast.
I welcome the European Commission’s initiative to developing an industrial strategy for European defence, and we will strongly support the efforts required to implement it.
Please allow me to also say a few words about Belgium’s involvement in Ukraine.
For the coming year, a fund of 1.7 billion euros has been set aside for the purchase of military equipment, for humanitarian aid and for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
With me here in Kyiv today is the Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation, the head of the Belgian Development Agency and our newly appointed Special Envoy for Ukraine, all underscoring our long-term commitment.
Two years ago, we were among the very first nations to send lethal military aid to Ukraine.
Today, Belgium is helping to train Ukrainian servicemen, some in rare skills such as maritime drone-aided demining.
Belgium has joined the F16 coalition, providing training to pilots and maintenance technicians.
We have also been at your side in the Hague, to hold Russia accountable for its crimes.
We have been at the forefront of efforts to use and leverage frozen Russian funds for the benefit of Ukraine.
Today, Ukraine is indeed at the border.
It is at the border between democracy and dictatorship.
It is at the border between rule of law and rule by assassination.
It is at the border between respect for human rights and systematic torture.
And it is you, Ukrainians, who defend that border.
And it is you, Ukrainians, who defend that border for all of us.
It is you, Ukrainians, who deserve our support.
The support from all of us.
If today your soldiers must retreat, it is not because they lack valor, but because they do not have enough ammunition.
If today your pilots do not dominate the Ukrainian skies, it is not because they lack flying skills, but because they do not have enough fighter planes.
If today we fail to supply you with what you need, we must admit that we must do more, we must do better.
There is only one objective: win a just victory.
Razóm. Razóm do peremóhi.
Together. Together towards victory.
It is in Europe’s interest to make democracy trump dictatorship, to have human rights prevail over torture and kidnapping, and to bring assassins to justice.
Sláva Ukraïni!
Heroïam slava !
Djákoejo !
Thank you.
