President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been awarded the Freedom Prize of the Republic of Lithuania 2022. The decision was unanimously supported by 113 Lithuanian parliamentarians.
As the Speaker of the Seimas of Lithuania, Ms. Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, noted, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy was awarded one of the most prestigious awards of Lithuania for his personal merits, leadership and example, which inspired millions of Ukrainians to fight heroically against the aggressor and the entire democratic community to counteract the terrorist state. This Prize honors the feat of the entire Ukrainian people in the struggle for independence, freedom and democracy in opposition to the russian armed invasion.
It is symbolic that the ceremony of awarding the Freedom Prize to the President of Ukraine took place on the Lithuanian Freedom Defenders' Day, January 13. On this day, 32 years ago, Lithuanians defended their independence, proclaimed in March 1990, in a confrontation with Soviet troops. On that bloody night in Vilnius, 14 defenders of freedom were killed and more than 800 were wounded. Ukrainians, who came to support the brotherly Lithuanian people, also took part in the defense of the most important objects in Vilnius, including the Lithuanian Parliament building.
As the leader of the Ukrainian nation emphasized: "Lithuania is and, I am sure, will continue to be one of the most sincere defenders of freedom. And this is the best way to honor the memory and feat of the heroes who defeated the empire on those winter days 32 years ago. Your people did not just defend the buildings of the TV center, parliament and others. You defended your historical choice. Now we are also heading to victory. To the final victory over that empire. Russia will no longer be able to dictate anything to the peoples of Europe when we end this war with the unequivocal defeat of the aggressor".
On behalf of the President of Ukraine, Ambassador of Ukraine to Lithuania Petro Beshta received the Freedom Prize 2022.
Address by the President of Ukraine at the solemn session of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania: https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/vistup-prezidenta-ukrayini-pid-chas-urochistogo-zasidannya-s-80361