Evoking Churchill in speech to UK Parliament, Zelensky says Ukraine ‘won’t give up’

By AFP 8 March 2022, 8:08 pm

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Screen capture from video of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaking from his office at the presidential palace in embattled Kyiv, on March 8, 2022. (Twitter)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky evokes British wartime leader Winston Churchill as he told the UK Parliament that his country would fight Russia’s invasion to the end in Ukraine’s cities, fields and riverbanks.

Zelensky tells British lawmakers “we will not give up and we will not lose,” in a speech that evoked Churchill’s stirring “never surrender” speech during the darkest days of World War II.

Speaking by video from Ukraine to a packed House of Commons chamber, Zelensky urges Britain to increase sanctions on Russia and to recognize Russia as “a terrorist country.”

Today’s address was the first time a foreign leader was allowed to speak in the House of Commons. Screens and simultaneous translation headsets were set up in the House of Commons so lawmakers could hear him.