WASHINGTON – The presidents of Russia and Ukraine have taken very different approaches to their countries' policies. new year's eve speech Late Sunday, the two countries ushered in a new year again while still at war.
While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy gave a long and poetic speech exalting his country's strength and unity in the face of terrorism, Russian President Vladimir Putin has given a speech that he started almost two years ago and has never been. There was no mention of the brutal war in which about 500,000 people were killed or injured. army.
“2023 is coming to an end. The year of our independence, the year of the fight for independence, the year of war,” Zelenskyy said. “A war for our land, our freedom, and each other.”
Zelenskiy mentioned the words “war” and “warrior” 19 times in his speech, but Putin refused to equalize the terminology in his speech, opting instead for mild ambiguity. It seems so.
“I would like to wish all Russian families a happy New Year. After all, the history of our huge, wonderful and beloved Motherland consists of the history of each family,” he said, adding that “our We are one country and one big family,” he added.
“Happy New Year, friends! See you in 2024!” he added.
The disturbingly upbeat message from the wartime president was released on the same day that a new Russian law making more men eligible for the military went into effect.
Last July, Russia's lower house of parliament voted to raise the military draft age from 27 to 30 after Putin's forces caused hundreds of thousands of casualties.
Putin did not mention any new changes to conscription requirements, but he did take a moment to argue that Russia's military “demonstrates the main characteristics of the Russian people: unity, compassion and fortitude.”
“To those of you on duty, those of you on the front lines fighting for truth and justice, you are our heroes,” he said. “Our hearts are with you. We are proud of you and admire your courage.”
Meanwhile, President Zelenskiy focused his entire 20-minute speech on the conflict, noting that when Russia invaded Ukraine more than 22 months ago, “few people believed we would get through 2022. “Few people even believed we would make it through 2022.” [stay] It will last until 2023. ”
“Ukraine is alive. Ukraine is alive. Ukraine will fight. Ukraine will advance. Ukraine will overcome its path. Ukraine will benefit. Ukraine will work. Ukraine will exist,” he told his compatriots. . “And collectively speaking, this is no New Year’s miracle, no fairy tale, no magic, but the achievement of each and every one of you.”
President Zelenskiy also thanked the military, saying he was “proud of all Ukrainian soldiers who bravely and heroically defended Ukraine.”[ing] “We,” he said, expressing his hopes for 2024.
“From the first minutes of January 1 until now, when Ukrainian fighters fought and even on New Year's Eve, when you cannot tolerate weakness, you are holding back an evil that has grown even bigger,” he said. Told. “But you could do no more, because you fought on every front, in every street, in each of our homes. You were strong.”
“You did not give up a single blue and yellow heart. Our freedom is not a kilometer away. It is you, our warriors. “Every single person proves that the Ukrainian people are stronger than evil. “But,” he added.
