'Evil will crumble once again': Highlights of Zelenskyy's powerful speech at UK Parliament

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday started addressing the British parliament at Westminster after making a rare first trip to UK since the Russian invasion in an effort to seek more military support. UK's House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle announced that Britian was honored to host Zelenskyy who had put himself at risk to make the historic speech. "President Zelenskyy's visit to the UK is a testament to his country's courage, determination and fight, and a testament to the unbreakable friendship between our two countries," UK's Prime Rishi Sunak had said in a statement as he welcomed Zelenskyy.

Welcome, President @ZelenskyyUa.

🇬🇧🇺🇦 #SlavaUkraini pic.twitter.com/uG1VTuxJpC

— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet)

Zelenskyy's address comes as UK plans to expand the training for the Ukrainian fighter jet pilots and marines to ensure that they are able to fly "sophisticated NATO-standard fighter jets in the future". Making a historic speech, Ukraine's President said: “I have come here and stand before you on behalf of the brave,” referring to the Ukrainian troops who are giving tough fight to Russia in the battlefield.

As he arrived in the UK onboard a Royal Air Force plane on Wednesday, Sunak was seen greeting the Ukrainian leader on the tarmac. 10 Downing Street tweeted a photo of him embracing the Ukrainian leader. “The United Kingdom was one of the first to come to Ukraine’s aid. And today I’m in London to personally thank the British people for their support,” Zelenskyy said on Instagram.

Here are the key highlights from Zelenskyy's landmark speech as his country battles the Russian offensive: 

• Zelenskyy, who addressed the UK parliament in English, stressed that he came to the UK on behalf of his military.  “I have come here and stand before you on behalf of our warriors, on behalf of every father and mother waiting for brave sons and daughters,” said the Ukrainian leader as he thanked Britain. “London has stood with Kyiv from day one,” he added.

Ukraine's leader hailed the bravery of his troops as he requested for more assistance, saying that bravery "takes you through unimaginable hardships to finally reward you with victory." He assured that "victory will change the world”.

• Zelenskyy thanked ex-prime minister Boris Johnson for the support he demonstrated to counter Russia aggression. “Thank you, Britain," said Zelenskyy. 

Welcome to the UK, President @ZelenskyyUa.

🇬🇧🇺🇦 #SlavaUkraini pic.twitter.com/rMoBTC3ken

— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak)

• Ukrainian president called the MPs, leaders, and lawmakers "brave souls" for standing up against aggression since Europe came into existence. "MPs and peers in Westminster Hall, the United Kingdom and their honourable representatives, all the people of England and Scotland, of Wales and Northern Ireland, of all the lands which have been home to brave souls since Europe came into existence." 

• Zelenskyy told British Parliament that he came to UK on behalf of his war heroes who are now in the trenches fighting Russians. “I have come here and stand before you on behalf of the brave, on behalf of our war heroes who are now in the trenches under enemy artillery fire, on behalf of our air gunners, and every defender of the sky who protects Ukraine against enemy aircraft and missiles, on behalf of our tank men who fight to restore our Ukrainian borders, on behalf of our conscripts who are being trained now including here in Britain," said Zelenskyy. 

• "We know freedom will win. We know Russia will lose," asserted Ukraine's leader in his speech. He added that UK "is marching with us [Ukraine] towards the most, I think, the most important victory of our lifetime. It will be a victory over the very idea of the war." The Ukraine's President noted that after "we win together, any aggressor, it doesn’t matter big or small, will know what awaits him if he attacks international order." “Any aggressor is going to lose," asserted Zelenskyy adding that in the past conflicts, the "evil lost". He added that he believes that "evil will crumble again'

• Ukrainian head of the State stressed that every air force pilot in his country "is a king,” as they will fight the Russia's air assaults. “In Britain, the King is an air force pilot. And in Ukraine today, every air force pilot is a king” Zelenskyy said in an address to parliament in Westminster. As he also noted that he will pay visit to UK's King Charles III later on Wednesday, Zelenskyy iterated that he plans to tell the King "something that is very important not only for the future of Ukraine but also for the future of Europe.”

• The Ukrainian President gifted a Ukrainian top gun pilot’s helmet to the UK parliament. “We have freedom. Gives us wings to protect it," it read. “I appeal to you and the world. Combat aircraft for Ukraine. Wings for Freedom,” Zelenskyy added as he offered the gift. 

• Zelenskyy thanked UK "delicious English tea." "And I will be leaving the Parliament today thanking all of you in advance for powerful English planes," noted the embattled leader. 

• Zelenskyy pushed for the Western allies to impose more sanctions on Russia to “deprive Russia of any ability” to finance the ongoing war. “We must take these principles of preventive aid to those who are threatened with aggression and preventive sanctions against those who threaten aggression as basic principles of the world antiwar policy,” said the Ukrainian leader. 

• Ukraine's President hailed what he described as the "powerful sanction coalition" and UK's leadership in protecting the international legal order. He appealed to slap more crippling sanctions against Moscow, calling it a "terrorist state" and justifying that such an act "cannot be questioned". "And we have to steadily continue along this way until Russia is deprived of any possibility to finance the war," he added.

Upcoming: Zelenskyy to embark on Brussels trip

The Ukrainian President will also visit Brussels on Thursday and will address the European leaders at the plenary session of the European Parliament. In EU, Zelenskyy and EU's leaders will hold dialogue on the bloc's response to the tenth round of sanctions against Russia. Ukraine President's trip follows EU-Ukraine summit that was attended by Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel in Kyiv where they invited the embattled Kyiv leader to visit Brussels. "There is an open invitation to President Zelenskyy to visit Brussels" the EU leaders noted, to which Zelenskyy had responded saying, "I really want to travel but there's a very significant risk because of Russia's attempt to have a revenge."