[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 199 (Wednesday, December 21, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H9969-H9971]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1913
JOINT MEETING TO HEAR AN ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, 
                          PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE

  During the recess, the House was called to order by the Speaker at 7 
o'clock and 13 minutes p.m.

[[Page H9970]]

  The Assistant to the Sergeant at Arms, Ms. Kathleen Joyce, announced 
the Vice President and Members of the U.S. Senate, who entered the Hall 
of the House of Representatives, the Vice President taking the chair at 
the right of the Speaker, and the Members of the Senate the seats 
reserved for them.
  The SPEAKER. The joint meeting will come to order.
  The Chair appoints as members of the committee on the part of the 
House to escort His Excellency Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of 
Ukraine, into the Chamber:
  The gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer);
  The gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark);
  The gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries);
  The gentleman from California (Mr. Aguilar);
  The gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks);
  The gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur);
  The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley);
  The gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy);
  The gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert);
  The gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger);
  The gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Rogers);
  The gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul);
  The gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill);
  The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick); and
  The gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Spartz).
  The VICE PRESIDENT. The President of the Senate, at the direction of 
that body, appoints the following Senators as members of the committee 
on the part of the Senate to escort His Excellency Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 
President of Ukraine, into the House Chamber:
  The Senator from New York (Mr. Schumer);
  The Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin);
  The Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray);
  The Senator from Michigan (Ms. Stabenow);
  The Senator from Minnesota (Ms. Klobuchar);
  The Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez);
  The Senator from Maryland (Mr. Cardin);
  The Senator from Kentucky (Mr. McConnell);
  The Senator from South Dakota (Mr. Thune);
  The Senator from Iowa (Ms. Ernst);
  The Senator from Missouri (Mr. Blunt);
  The Senator from Mississippi (Mr. Wicker);
  The Senator from Idaho (Mr. Risch); and
  The Senator from Ohio (Mr. Portman).
  The Assistant to the Sergeant at Arms announced the Acting Dean of 
the Diplomatic Corps, Her Excellency Floreta Faber, the Ambassador of 
Albania.
  The Acting Dean of the Diplomatic Corps entered the Hall of the House 
of Representatives and took the seat reserved for her.
  The Assistant to the Sergeant at Arms announced the Cabinet of the 
President of the United States.
  The members of the Cabinet of the President of the United States 
entered the Hall of the House of Representatives and took the seats 
reserved for them in front of the Speaker's rostrum.
  At 7 o'clock and 36 minutes p.m., the Sergeant at Arms, William J. 
Walker, announced His Excellency Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of 
Ukraine.
  The President of Ukraine, escorted by the committee of Senators and 
Representatives, entered the Hall of the House of Representatives and 
stood at the Clerk's desk.
  (Applause, the Members rising.)
  The SPEAKER. Members of Congress, I have the high privilege and the 
distinct honor of presenting to you His Excellency Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 
President of Ukraine.
  (Applause, the Members rising.)
  President ZELENSKYY. Thank you so much. Thank you. It is too much for 
me. All this for our great people. Thank you so much.
  Dear Americans, in all States, cities, and communities, all those who 
value freedom and justice, who cherish it as strongly as we Ukrainians 
in all our cities, in each and every family, I hope my words of respect 
and gratitude resonate in each American heart.
  Madam Vice President, I thank you for your efforts in helping 
Ukraine.
  Madam Speaker, you bravely visited Ukraine during the full-fledged 
war. Thank you very much.
  It is a great honor--thank you--a great privilege to be here.
  Dear Members of the Congress, representatives of both parties who 
also visited Kyiv, esteemed Congressmen and Senators from both parties 
who will visit Ukraine, I am sure, in the future; dear representatives 
of our diaspora present in this Chamber and spread across the country; 
dear journalists; it is a great honor for me to be in the U.S. Congress 
and speak to you and all Americans.
  Against all odds and doom and gloom scenarios, Ukraine did not fall. 
Ukraine is alive and kicking. Thank you.

  And it gives me good reason to share with you our first joint 
victory. We defeated Russia in the battle for minds of the world.
  We have no fear, nor should anyone in the world have it.
  Ukrainians gained this victory, and it gives us courage, which 
inspires the entire world.
  Americans gained this victory, and that is why you have succeeded in 
uniting the global community to protect freedom and international law.
  Europeans gained this victory, and that is why Europe is now stronger 
and more independent than ever.
  The Russian tyranny has lost control over us, and it will never 
influence our minds again.
  Yet, we have to do whatever it takes to ensure that countries of the 
global south also gain such victory.
  I know one more, I think, very important thing. The Russians will 
stand a chance to be free only when they defeat the Kremlin in their 
minds.
  Yet, the battle continues, and we have to defeat the Kremlin on the 
battlefield.
  Yes, this battle is not only for the territory, for this or that part 
of Europe. The battle is not only for life, freedom, and security of 
Ukrainians or any other nation which Russia attempts to conquer.
  This struggle will define in what world our children and 
grandchildren will live and then their children and grandchildren. It 
will define whether it will be a democracy for Ukrainians and for 
Americans, for all.
  This battle cannot be frozen or postponed. It cannot be ignored, 
hoping that the ocean or something else will provide a protection.
  From the United States to China, from Europe to Latin America, and 
from Africa to Australia, the world is too interconnected and 
interdependent to allow someone to stay aside and, at the same time, to 
feel safe when such a battle continues.

                              {time}  1945

  Our two nations are allies in this battle.
  Next year will be a turning point. I know it. The point when 
Ukrainian courage and American resolve must guarantee the future of our 
common freedom, the freedom of people who stand for their values.
  Ladies and gentlemen, Americans, yesterday, before coming here to 
Washington, D.C., I was at the front line in our Bakhmut, in our 
stronghold in the east of Ukraine, in the Donbas. The Russian military 
and mercenaries have been attacking Bakhmut nonstop since May. They 
have been attacking it day and night. But Bakhmut stands.
  Last year, 70,000 people lived there in Bakhmut, in this city, and 
now only few civilians stay. Every inch of that land is soaked in 
blood. Roaring guns sound every hour. Trenches in the Donbas change 
hands several times a day in fierce combat and even hand fighting. But 
the Ukrainian Donbas stands.
  Russians use everything they have against Bakhmut and our other 
beautiful cities. The occupiers have a significant advantage in 
artillery. They have an advantage in ammunition. They have much more 
missiles and planes than we ever had. It is true. But our defense 
forces stand. We all are proud of them.

[[Page H9971]]

  The Russian tactic is primitive. They burn down and destroy 
everything they see. They sent thugs to the front lines. They sent 
convicts to the war. They threw everything against us--similar to the 
other tyranny, which is in the Battle of the Bulge. They threw 
everything it had against the free world, just like the brave American 
soldiers which held their lines and fought back Hitler's forces during 
the Christmas of 1944. Brave Ukrainian soldiers are doing the same to 
Putin's forces this Christmas. Ukraine holds its lines and will never 
surrender.
  Here is the front line, the tyranny, which has no lack of cruelty 
against the lives of free people. Your support is crucial, not just to 
stand in such fights, but to get to the turning point; to win on the 
battlefield.
  We have artillery. Yes. Thank you. We have it. Is it enough? 
Honestly, not really. To ensure Bakhmut is not just a stronghold that 
holds back the Russian Army, but for the Russian Army to completely 
pull out, more cannons and shells are needed. If so, just like the 
Battle of Saratoga, the fight for Bakhmut will change the trajectory of 
our war for independence and for freedom.
  If your patriots stop the Russian terror against our cities, it will 
let Ukrainian patriots work to the full to defend our freedom. When 
Russia cannot reach our cities by its artillery, it tries to destroy 
them with missile attacks. More than that, Russia found an ally in its 
genocidal policy--Iran.
  Iranian deadly drones, sent to Russia in hundreds, became a threat to 
our critical infrastructure. That is how one terrorist found the other. 
It is just a matter of time when they will strike against your other 
allies if we do not stop them now. We must do it.
  I believe there should be no taboos between us in our alliance. 
Ukraine never asked the American soldiers to fight on our land instead 
of us. I assure you that Ukrainian soldiers can perfectly operate 
American tanks and planes themselves.
  Financial assistance is also critically important. I would like to 
thank you--thank you very much--thank you for both financial packages 
you have already provided us with and the ones you may be willing to 
decide on. Your money is not charity. It is an investment in the global 
security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.
  Russia could stop its aggression if it wanted to, but you can speed 
up our victory. I know it. And it will prove to any potential aggressor 
that no one can succeed in breaking national borders--no one--
committing atrocities, and reigning over people against their will. It 
would be naive to wait for steps towards peace from Russia, which 
enjoys being a terrorist state. Russians are still poisoned by the 
Kremlin.
  The restoration of international legal order is our joint task. We 
need peace. Yes, Ukraine has already offered proposals, which I just 
discussed with President Biden, our peace formula; ten points, which 
should and must be implemented for our joint security, guaranteed for 
decades ahead, and the summit, which can be held.
  I am glad to say that President Biden supported our peace initiative 
today. Each of you, ladies and gentlemen, can assist in the 
implementation to ensure that America's leadership remains solid, 
bicameral, and bipartisan. Thank you.
  You can strengthen sanctions to make Russia feel how ruinous its 
aggression truly is. It is in your power to help us bring to justice 
everyone who started this unprovoked and criminal war. Let's do it.
  Let the terrorist state be held responsible for its terror and 
aggression, and compensate all losses done by this war. Let the world 
see that the United States are here.
  Ladies and gentlemen, Americans, in 2 days we will celebrate 
Christmas. Maybe candlelit, not because it is more romantic, no, but 
because there will be no electricity. Millions won't have either 
heating or running water. All of this will be the result of Russian 
missile and drone attacks on our energy infrastructure. But we do not 
complain.
  We do not judge and compare whose life is easier. Your well-being is 
the product of your national security, the result of your struggle for 
independence and your many victories. We, Ukrainians, will also go 
through our war of independence and freedom with dignity and success.
  We will celebrate Christmas, and even if there is no electricity, the 
light of our faith in ourselves will not be put out. If Russian 
missiles attack us, we will do our best to protect ourselves. If they 
attack us with Iranian drones and our people will have to go to bomb 
shelters on Christmas Eve, Ukrainians will still sit down at the 
holiday table and cheer up each other. And we don't have to know 
everyone's wish as we know that all of us, millions of Ukrainians wish 
the same--victory. Only victory.
  We have already built a strong Ukraine with strong people, strong 
Army, and strong institutions, together with you. We develop strong 
security guarantees for our country and for entire Europe and the world 
together with you. Also, together with you, we will put in place 
everyone who will defy freedom. ``Put in.'' This will be the basis to 
protect democracy in Europe and the world over.
  Now, at Christmastime, I want to thank you, all of you. I thank every 
American family which cherishes the warmth of its home and wishes the 
same warmth to other people.
  I thank President Biden and both parties at the Senate and the House 
for your invaluable assistance.
  I thank your cities and your citizens who supported Ukraine this 
year, who hosted our Ukrainians, our people who waved our national 
flags, who acted to help us.
  Thank you all from everyone who is now at the front line and from 
everyone who is awaiting victory.
  Standing here today, I recall the words of President Franklin Delano 
Roosevelt, which I think is so good for this moment: ``The American 
people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.''

                              {time}  2000

  The Ukrainian people will win, too. Absolutely. I know that 
everything depends on us, on Ukrainian Armed Forces. Yet, so much 
depends on the world. So much in the world depends on you.
  When I was in Bakhmut yesterday, our heroes gave me the flag, the 
battle flag, the flag of those who defend Ukraine, Europe, and the 
world at the cost of their lives. They asked me to bring this flag to 
you, to the U.S. Congress, to Members of the House of Representatives 
and Senators, whose decisions can save millions of people.
  So, let these decisions be taken. Let this flag stay with you, ladies 
and gentlemen. This flag is a symbol of our victory in this war. We 
stand, we fight, and we will win because we are united; Ukraine, 
America, and the entire free world.
  Just one thing, if I can, the last thing--thank you so much--may God 
protect our brave troops and citizens. May God forever bless the United 
States of America. Merry Christmas and happy victorious New Year.
  ``Slava Ukrayini!'' ``Glory to Ukraine!''
  Thank you so much.
  The SPEAKER. This flag was flown over the Capitol today in honor of 
the President's visit.

                          ____________________