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‘2023 will be the year of our victory,’ Ukraine’s Zelensky says on war anniversary

24.02.2023 11:00
Ukraine’s president posted a message on social media on Friday to mark one year since Russia invaded his country, vowing that “2023 will be the year of our victory.”
Volodymyr Zelensky.
Volodymyr Zelensky.PAP/EPA/Sergey Dolzhenko

Volodymyr Zelensky shared the message on the Telegram social messaging app on Friday morning, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

Posting also on Twitter, the Ukrainian leader wrote: “On February 24, millions of us made a choice. Not a white flag, but a blue and yellow one. Not fleeing, but facing. Resisting and fighting.”

Zelensky added: “It was a year of pain, sorrow, faith and unity. And this year, we remained invincible. We know that 2023 will be the year of our victory!”

Polish PM visits Kyiv

Meanwhile, Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki arrived in Kyiv on Friday morning to reaffirm his country’s support for Ukraine a year since the start of the Russian invasion, officials said.

Upon his arrival, Morawiecki met with his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal, news outlets reported.

‘We stand united no matter what’: Biden

US President Joe Biden also marked the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying in a tweet: "One year ago, President Putin thought he would swiftly take Kyiv. Then he met the bravery of Ukraine and the iron will of nations everywhere.”

Biden added: “President Putin thought NATO would fracture and divide. Instead NATO is stronger and more unified than ever before.”

In an earlier tweet, the US president said: “When Russia attacked Ukraine, America and our Allies stood strong. For sovereignty. For democracy. For freedom. I visited Kyiv to declare we will continue to stand united. No matter what.” 

Friday is day 366 of Russia’s war on Ukraine, which started on February 24, 2022.

(pm/gs)

Source: PAP, The Guardian