The president’s speech was structured in the form of a dialogue with children. 

Dear Ukrainians! There are only a few minutes left until the end of 2020. It’s time to take stock, draw conclusions, talk about plans and goals. Boring? Convenient. Fine. I will say clearly for you. And this is logical, because everything we do, we do for you.

We live in a great beautiful country, where there is everything: there is incredible nature, generous land, where smart and talented children, and where all presidents in their New Year’s greetings always say the phrase: “Dear Ukrainians, it was a difficult year.” You ask if 2020 was difficult. A little bit so. But not because of you, and not because of you, and not because of you all. No!

So what was this year like?

There were tears of pain and tears of pride in it, there was something we were ashamed of and something we were proud of, something we wanted to forget and something we would never forget.

There were those with whom we became even greater friends, those with whom we became strategic partners, those with whom we tried to quarrel, but failed, those who always supported Ukraine and continue to do so.

2020 reminded us of how many heroes there really are among us. In the spring we all started to get sick. It turned out that there is not much in hospitals and pharmacies. Why? It’s just that some people lost their sense of smell long before Covid. And so we were all like in the movies, when it seems that only superheroes can save. Adults do not believe in their existence, but this year, as in 2014, we are convinced again – superheroes exist. And our doctors, our super-doctors, super-laboratory assistants, super-drivers of “ambulance”, super-pilots, super-border guards, super-teachers, our super-firefighters and super-rescuers joined our military. And we definitely have no choice but to be a superUkraine.

Yes, it was a year when, unfortunately, cataclysms destroyed housing and nature, and a year when, fortunately, we destroyed stereotypes. For example, that it is impossible to make good roads in Ukraine. This myth went in all four directions on all 4,000 km of new roads. Someday you will be 18, and you will be able to drive cars on Ukrainian roads. We tried to make sure that these roads do not grow old or get tired while you grow up. This year proved that the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital can be completed and not handed over like a mace to every next president of Ukraine, that a monument to corruption, erected in 2004, can be demolished and in 8 months the legendary long-term construction of Ukraine can be turned into a new city. Zaporozhye. And all over Ukraine to rebuild 150 bridges. And we do not listen to the throwers of dirt on the fan of social networks. Some will be left with posts, and some will be left with bridges.

This year has shown that for citizens from Donbass and Crimea it is possible to make modern CPVV where it will become definitively clear to them who treats them as people, and who – as hostages. This year has shown that we can talk about the army, but we can make the largest budget in history for security and defense, that the state can start joint construction of corvettes and for the first time since Ukraine’s independence order 3 new Ukrainian planes from Antonov. And interest rates for business loans may not be 20%, 18% or 14%, but small, like you – 5%, 7% or 9%. Who is 9? Here, and percentages can be such. Are you 6? Okay, agreed!

2020 proved once again that Ukraine does not leave its own and we do not care where to return its people: the basements of ORDLO, the Russian prison or the Chinese Wuhan. These are captured sailors of a tanker from Libya or the dead crew and passengers of the plane from Iran. And we are equally happy to return the 250,000 citizens trapped in quarantine around the world or one Ukrainian, our defender, the unconquered Vitaly Markiv. Do you know him? He said to himself, “I’ll hold on. I’ll be back,” so that he and his beloved would have someone like you or someone like you. And better – and such, and such.

This year the Ukrainian flag has been raised more than once. We became the first in swimming, boxing, gymnastics, athletics, track and field wrestling and even checkers. And when you argue over who is stronger – Batman, Wolverine or Deadpool, in fact the strongest – a Ukrainian, our hero Alexei Novikov, who this year became the strongest man on planet Earth.

And we have no choice but to become the strongest country. And most importantly – this year reminded us what silence is. The words, “No shooting today,” the days when the news says, “There are no casualties in a day,” the weeks when mothers, wives, and children don’t cry, the months when our soldiers don’t die. 158 days of ceasefire in Donbass – the longest since the beginning of the war, 158 days, a truce. Impeccability? Yes, and it’s true. But isn’t that necessary? No. And this is also true. You know, you are still very young and you may not fully understand why this is happening, but now you must know one thing for sure – Ukrainian defenders are the best in the world. They are brave and very, very strong. Unfortunately, this is what happens – and God takes some to heaven. The best and bravest. This year we tried very hard for God to leave as many of them as possible in Ukraine, so that they can continue to protect us all and bring peace. It is possible. He is close. He definitely will.

You know, all the presidents in one New Year’s address say one phrase: “Dear Ukrainians, it was a difficult year, but next will be better.” And I agree with that. He will be the best! For you, for you, for you and for all our Ukraine. And whatever it is, let’s thank 2020 and not scold it. So, unfortunately, he took Paton from Kyiv, Zhvanetsky from Odessa, Skoryk and Viktyuk from Lviv. But he gave us almost 300 thousand new citizens – boys and girls born in Ukraine this year. Let’s turn off our adult pragmatism for them and think of something very bold for Ukraine. Yes, as our children know how to do it.

Children: May everyone be healthy in the new year.

May all Ukrainians have much, much happiness.

And I have many, many candies.

Let all bad criminals be imprisoned.

Let the parents of all Ukrainians buy a dog.

And to me – a transformer!

That everyone had a lot of money.

We will defeat COVID.

And corruption.

I wish Ukraine success.

And let there be many, many happiness.

Lots of happiness.

Vaccination will be soon. Hold on! Stop – COVID-19!

May peace come to Ukraine!

May there be peace!

May peace come to Ukraine!

There will be peace!

There is peace!

May there be peace in Ukraine!

Zelensky: Our children want all this. Well, what about us? And we have to do it all.

Dear Ukrainians! Next year we will celebrate the 30th anniversary of our independence. We are a great nation. We have the courage of Svyatoslav, the greatness of Vladimir, the wisdom of Yaroslav. We have Shevchenko! Moreover, we have two Shevchenko. And to be the president of such a wonderful people is a great pride and a great responsibility. And I will do my best so that in a year and in all the following years on the same day and time I would not be ashamed to look you in the eye. I do not want to say on Bankova in Kyiv that peace will come in Ukraine, but on Artem in Donetsk that peace has come in Ukraine. And to write: “Crimea is Ukraine” not on the Internet, but on the sand on the beach in Yalta, on the Ukrainian sand of the Ukrainian beach of the Ukrainian Yalta.

I know that Donetsk, Lugansk and Crimea now, in every sense of the word, live in a different time. It’s almost an hour since they told you on TV that the New Year has come. But I know that it’s almost an hour now that you are waiting for us to celebrate the New Year together.

As one family, as one people, as one country. So, Donbass and Crimea, “turn the clock back, be with us.” Ready? We also. I sincerely wish all Ukrainians a Happy New Year. May everyone be healthy, may everyone be happy. And let it be exactly in 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!

Happy New Year, Ukraine!

(c)112UA 2020