Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote a Fourth of July message to thank America for both its example of liberty and its support in his country’s war against Russia.
Zelenskyy issued his Happy Birthday message via an opinion column in The Wall Street Journal on Sunday.
“America’s Founders upended history when they forged a republic based on individual freedom and political pluralism, pledging to live as ‘free and independent states,'” Zelenskyy began his column.
“It was, and is, the greatest attempt in history to rid mankind of tyranny. They broke with centuries of subservience to create a new type of nation, one where all are equal and live free.”
After Russian President Vladimir Putin began an unprovoked war by sending his troops into Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainians followed the path created by America’s Founding Fathers.
“Today, as Americans celebrate their freedom and independence, we celebrate with you and envision the day when every inch of Ukraine is free of the cruel tyranny that seeks to extinguish us,” the Ukrainian president wrote.
Zelenskyy then scolded Putin for once saying that “America is not exceptional.”
“Many tyrants in human history have claimed global influence, but none of them could inspire the rest of the world to strive for the best in human nature,” Zelenskyy wrote.
“That’s why today’s Russian tyrants, like all tyrants, are fundamentally weak and their regime will crumble over time. When any tyrant hates America and denies its exceptional role in the struggle for freedom, he recognizes his own inevitable defeat. To Russian tyranny, I say the world needs more, not less, American exceptionalism.”
Zelenskyy said that since ousting Russian-backed dictator Viktor Yanukovych in 2014, his fellow Ukrainians have “always supported democracy, defended the dignity of every person, and strived to live in a free world together with other European nations.”
“Russian tyranny sees that it is not eternal and not sustainable when it looks at Ukraine —free, independent Ukraine; strong, democratic Ukraine leading to true democracy and freedom spreading here on the eastern flank of Europe, and especially to Russia,” the president wrote.
“Ukraine integrated with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the West is a guarantee that freedom will continue to win and peace will triumph.”
Zelenskyy also warned of the potential impact if Russia prevails in its war against Ukraine.
“Russian tyranny is desperately trying to attract other enemies of freedom, in particular the Iranian regime, which tries to threaten free nations all over the world and provides weapons to Russia that kill innocent Ukrainian civilians on a daily basis,” he wrote.
“If — God forbid — Russia were to succeed in Ukraine, it would further embolden countries like Iran to take up arms against free peoples elsewhere in the world. It would encourage Russia to invade deeper into Europe, bringing it into direct confrontation with NATO.
“All such scenarios can be stopped only by the steadfast defense of freedom, those who aspire to freedom, and the alliances created to protect freedom. We Ukrainians and you Americans will never give up on freedom.”
