Zelensky in Washington: Russia targets freedom of democracies

Russia sees Ukraine as a stepping stone to challenge the freedom shared by the peoples of free democracies, and that is why Putin must be defeated.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said this on Monday during a speech at the U.S. National Defense University, Ukrinform's own correspondent reports.

"He (Putin - ed.) is fighting Ukraine, but really, he’s up against all of free, united Europe. He’s wrecking everyday life in Ukrainian cities, but his real target is the freedom people enjoy from Warsaw to Chicago to Yokohama," Zelensky said.

He emphasized that the Kremlin pushes its idea that dictatorships with a bit of market economy are winning a global face-off, to make democratic countries lose hope. To this end, Russia is mobilizing its “buddies” around the world, including Hamas, Iran, North Korea, and others linked by hate of freedom. In addition, Putin is trying to spread his ideology in democratic countries, including the United States, through propaganda and disinformation.

"Russia is set on more than just Ukraine’s land, resources, or people. It won’t be satisfied with just a part of Ukraine, or even all of it," Zelensky emphasized.

He noted that Ukraine is only a stepping stone for Russia “to challenge a lead of freedom wherever the Russian tsar likes”.

"Putin must lose – so that everyone else, who sees Russia’s war on Ukraine as his personal lecture at the so-called “University of Aggression”, gets the message loud and clear. Putin must lose!" stressed the head of the Ukrainian state.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on Monday the President of Ukraine began a two-day visit to the USA, during which he has already met with the military elite at the National Defense University. He is scheduled to meet with U.S. Congressmen and President Joe Biden.