Dear Ukrainians!

A few important things today.

The first is a meeting with government officials. The Prime Minister and the economic bloc of the government. There should be – and there is – a clear internal response to the instability, which is now abundant due to the situation around Iran – a situation that has not been resolved for too long. In fact, all the world's markets are destabilized, and the economic consequences could be significant. Our internal decisions are needed so that Ukraine is still provided with everything it needs, so that in the long term we can provide for our defense, our economy, and social needs.

It is important that we have agreements on fuel supplies to Ukraine, and now - for March-April - the necessary volumes are being imported. I thank all companies - both state-owned companies and the private sector. We are working on supplies with European partners, as well as with Middle Eastern countries. This, in particular, is part of our new cooperation: Ukraine exports security, and receives what is necessary for internal confidence and energy security.

We also talked with government officials today about how to support people in the face of rising prices - external instability always manifests itself in very sensitive price fluctuations. The government must prepare steps in this regard, and I am counting on systemic solutions.

Second, we are currently preparing the European part of our security proposals, which were presented and adopted in negotiations in the Middle East and the Gulf countries in recent weeks. They are now at war, unfortunately. Their protection required urgent expertise, urgent response. We ensured this - the Ukrainian expertise worked, everyone recognizes this. As a result, there are long-term agreements on cooperation, namely on security cooperation. The same is needed in Europe. The coming weeks will be devoted to precisely this kind of work with our partners in Europe: our joint production, our defense modernization, defense financing programs, coordination in security actions.

Ukrainian military personnel are participating in consultations on how the Strait of Hormuz will continue to operate. Safe navigation is a global value, we know this from the experience of defense in the Black Sea. It is necessary that everyone in the world also appreciates this. Of course, the situation can change daily and quite significantly, especially given what is happening with Iran and in relations between Europe and America. But our interests are long-term - everyone in Europe, first of all, this is a security interest. Our diplomats also have a corresponding request from Asian countries, I have instructed them to work on all this promptly. There will be contacts with leaders, and work at the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and at the level of other ministries. The main thing is that we constantly provide Ukraine with real opportunities for defense.

Now the Russians are trying to scale up their “safari” against our people. Brutal, very cynical drone strikes against people continue – practically every day – in Nikopol, Kherson, in other cities and communities near the front. There have been Russian drone strikes in the Chernihiv region – Pryluky, Novgorod-Siverskyi – and in the Kharkiv region. And we need to have the tools, all the necessary tools – from sufficient finances to real weapons – to continue scaling up our defense against the Russians and our ability to quite rightly return the war to Russia with our long-range capability. That is exactly what we are doing.

And one more thing.

I want to thank the parliamentarians. The Verkhovna Rada adopted important decisions today that are needed. It is such a parliament – ​​a functioning parliament – ​​that throughout the entire period of full-scale war provides its part of the work for the stability of our state, our people. This is necessary in the future. We must get through this time – the time of war. And give Ukraine everything so that Ukraine, so that our people can survive.

We will definitely protect the independence of Ukraine. We will definitely respond to all challenges. I thank everyone who works for our state, who defends Ukraine.

Glory to Ukraine!