continued u.s. support for ukraine. >> good evening, everyone. thank you for the introduction. thank you for your contribution to science and education at the polytechnic institute. i am so grateful to be here. today, it is many days since putin launched this war. ukraine has demonstrated remarkable heroism and suffered

unimaginable loss. a year ago, i spoke about how you aggression against ukraine has led to strategic failure and what it would take to assure its safety. today i am here to speak about ukraine's success. the ukrainian people can and will achieve their vision for the future. to secure democracy, integrated into the european community, firmly in control of their destiny. it is a critical moment. putin is ramping up another offensive against ukraine. sending wave after wave of russian soldiers, iranian drones, artillery and tanks, missiles, fighter jets, machines and parts supplied by china.

the following weeks and months will demand a great deal. the people have sacrificed so much. but i didn't come to ukraine without a message. you are not alone. the united states has been by your side from day one. we are with you today and we will stay by your side until you gain security, sovereignty, and freedom is guaranteed. dozens around the world are not just rooting for you. after the delay [inaudible] on america to sustain this. the aid package approved by our congress with overwhelming

support across both political parties, both houses of congress, i think demonstrates that you can. the significant majority of americans believe we should continue to provide assistance to ukraine. the ukrainian people have been consistent through the war. they have never wavered. our support of ukraine, the strengthen security of the united states and we understand [inaudible] he will keep going. an autocrat is never satisfied with a single country. when has that satisfied vladimir putin? at the same time the russian people want to know we have a plan and we will get to the day when ukraine can stand on its

own feet militarily, economically and democratically so americans of port can transition to sustainable levels. the ukrainian people want the same. they don't want to rely on others for their security and prosperity. we have a plan. we are working with ukraine. i want to speak to you about what the plan looks like and how we will look to achieve it. we are hoping to ensure ukraine has the military needs to say katie -- succeed on the battlefield and deter aggression. anyone who doubts your ability to attain this should look at what you have already accomplished. in two years, two months, 21 days you have denied them erasing ukraine from the map.

you have foiled his plot to install a government. you have taken half the territory russia gained in the first weeks. [inaudible] and he gains russia has made have come at tremendous cost to the kremlin. you have thought -- you have thought -- people from every region, community have stepped forward to serve, including at this university. the students, alumni, teachers and other employees have answered the call to defend their homeland. they put aside their careers and dreams.

88 of those men and women gave their lives for your freedom. their names are on a memorial on campus that i visited with your director. they include an aspiring illustrator, a cancer researcher , a marathon runner, a musician who wanted to open kyiv class for school of rock 'n' roll. the veteran. and volunteers who served [inaudible] these citizens never asked others to fight for them. all ukrainians ask is that you get what you need to defend yourselves and your right to live your lives as a nation. it is necessary.

over two years, they have needed help. [inaudible] invading forces. this will also allow you to build more units, to take the fight to russian aggressors. part of the task is to secure ukraine's sustained and permitted -- permanent advantage so ukraine can defend against future attacks. president biden said we want ukraine to win and we are committed to helping you do it. in the immediate term the u.s. [inaudible] the assistance you need. we will help you out to make it harder for them to strike.

so you can keep helping to feed the world. we know time is of the essence. just one minute after congress approved the package, president biden sent over missiles and equipment to ukraine. much more will be delivered in the coming days. [inaudible] continues to facilitate the transfer of vehicles coming into the ukraine. [inaudible] leading a europe wide effort to purchase half a million artillery shells. the u.k. announced a multiyear aid package. australia contributes. a vocal coalition is behind you, made up of countries who want to

see your security, and see your security is in the interest of their own. this is part of the u.n. charter , and these countries know that [inaudible] would be aggressors. the prime minister said addressing the u.s. congress, the ukraine today, maybe others tomorrow. through defense contractors, led by the secretary of defense, more than 50 countries are working hand-in-hand with ukraine's military to identify the needs. we developed capability coalitions, groups of americans addressing these crucial needs. [inaudible] air force, on information

technology, norway and the u.k. on security. these coalitions are funding more support in the ukraine right now. as we contribute, we work together to help ukraine build. our goal is to lay a foundation so strong that it can dispel any doubts [inaudible] as president zelenskyy said we are creating security architecture that ukraine has never had but has always needed. we are bringing ukraine closer to end into -- and into, nato. we will make sure ukraine's bridge to nato is strong and well lit. [inaudible] ukraine will have to complete the membership action plan. shortly, the on ramp [inaudible] we launched and elevated our

cooperation in decision-making on the most intensive level nato has. ukraine is more than the recipient of advice and assistance. [inaudible] since the end of the cold war. and fighting the worst to come. you have a lot of [inaudible] with your military by our side. when we hold the washington summit in july we will [inaudible] building a resilient, capable ukrainian force and [inaudible] integrating ukraine into the alliance. and ukraine can be bolstered by mutually reinforcing security [inaudible] we have 32 countries negotiating with ukraine. none of which have been

completed -- nine of which have been completed. [inaudible] sustainable long-term support. that is not a matter that can be debated from one year to the next, nor is it a commitment. it can be guaranteed by nations for the next decade. the united states will support ukraine's security across a range of essential capabilities. the air force, their defense, through drones. if russia or anyone else attacks ukraine, we will work with ukraine at the highest levels. [inaudible] celebrate our joint efforts to build and build up ukraine's industrial defensive base so you can produce artillery and the weapons you need here in

ukraine. ukraine's innovation is an incentive to a successful [inaudible] air defense missiles, manufacturing new kinds of drones that can elude detection. that same spirit that spurs the defense industry will [inaudible] the key is to ramp up production without losing that spirit of a nation. ukrainian businesses can attract private investments, scale up and increase the potential to become a defense exporter of weapons. the u.s. is providing support to build that industry.

we have 300 50 government representatives from the u.s. and europe to help with industrial operations in ukraine. we have representatives from across congress to help you navigate towards [inaudible] american companies [inaudible] munitions in ukraine. all of these things, ukraine's increased integration, the growing network of security that [inaudible] moving industrial base to ensure that conditions are met and [inaudible] alliance will be swift and smooth. and if russia is ever serious about a truly just and lasting

peace with ukraine, military prowess will be there, your hand strong and your path to europe and nato secure. second, we will ensure ukraine not only survives but thrives. we have -- ever since russia moved in they have been trying to lay waste to the economy. what he can't have, he wants to destroy. ukrainians held their ground. entrepreneurs, business owners have kept things running. the farmers with tractors, sweeping fields for landmines. workers in power stations, keeping the lights on. [inaudible] fueling the economy. they are the root of ukraine's extraordinary future. in 2023, despite living with

nearly a fifth of the country occupied by russian forces and with industry under bombardment, ukraine [inaudible] private investment increased by 17%. state revenue rose by 25%. in 2023 37 thousand new businesses registered in ukraine, more than before the russian invasion. over the last six months ukraine 's steel factories have doubled output. in april, ukraine exported $13 billion worth of goods, by rail, road and see. as ukraine has done so well, this hangs on our ability to provide security. [inaudible]

save civilian lives. they create safety under which ukrainian workers can adapt, innovate and attract more foreign investment. that is why we are working with our partners to -- to procure more air defense, and to do it fast. and just as security enables prosperity, prosperity enhances security. a more robust economy means that ukraine can put more revenue into building and hardening your defenses. ukraine's economic renewal will also encourage a speedy return of refugees and displaced people, the vast majority of whom want to go home, bringing with them skills and resources that will be a boon for ukraine's economy. together, ukraine's partners have contributed $85 billion in economic and development aid, providing a lifeline to ukraine's government at a time when beating back putin's invasion has forced the government to invest almost all of its revenue in self-defense.

that assistance means that first responders can charge into residential buildings to pull people from the rubble of russian strikes. it means doctors and nurses can care for wounded civilians and soldiers. it means teachers can educate ukraine's rising generations good the future of the country. now, for every dollar that the united states has put towards assistance for ukraine, others have invested three more. japan and korea are supplying generators and gas turbines to rebuild the energy grid. italy and others are helping address the massive humanitarian and environmental costs of russia's destruction. norway is helping to rebuild schools, hospitals and other essential services. i could go on. we talk a lot about burden sharing, this is exactly what that looks like.

at the same time as we help ukraine meet these needs, we are laying the foundation for ukraine's long-term success through its full economic integration into europe and to the west. the g7 and other international financial institutions, the private sector, in boosting the number, scale and speed of transformative projects in rails, roads, ports, energy, digital, among other areas. not after the war ends, but right now. these projects will foster growth and increase revenues that allow ukraine to shoulder more of its military costs. as ukraine prospers, we all stand to benefit from the goods and services it will provide, and the innovations you will produce. and yet, for all the resources our government and others will invest in ukraine's infrastructure, its innovation

and its people, that transformation will ultimately be driven by the private sector. so we are accelerating efforts to help ukraine attract more private investment, especially toward dynamic industries like technology, like energy, like agriculture, like defense. as more countries stop doing business with russia, ukraine is in a unique position to see the opportunities that putin lost. we are helping to lower the cost of doing business in ukraine thanks to the provision of risk insurance, more grain is being exported through the black sea today than before the war, and ukraine's breadbasket is once again feeding the world. now we are working to expand more insurance to other areas like road and cargo. we are putting the u.s. government backing on the table to shoulder part of the risk, the strongest signal that we can send that companies can do business safely and profitably in ukraine.

now, they don't need to take our word for it. 9 of them will turn american businesses in ukraine are running at the same or higher capacity than they were before putin's full invasion. but for all the steps that we take, the most powerful to draw more companies to ukraine, more investment to ukraine, lies in your hands, and lives with reform -- lies in your hands, and lies with reform. ask any company in the united states, in europe, in asia what they are looking for when considering doing business in ukraine, you will hear pretty much the same thing from all of them -- a strong and predictable regulatory environment, open and fair competition, transparency and, the rule of law. effective anticorruption measures. in fact, the list includes many of the same reforms that ukraine

will need to make to get into the european union. 90% of ukrainians went fast tracked economic reforms so that their country can move swiftly into the european union. the ukrainian people are also demanding these changes. the government has taken important steps to combat monopolies and strengthen anti-money laundering tools. more remains to be done. membership in the e.u. will be a windfall for ukraine, enabling the free movement of goods, capital, services, workers and people. ukraine will get access to one of the most dynamic markets in the world, hundreds of millions more consumers for key exports like grain, steel, eventually clean energy, and greater access to the financing it needs to rebuild and further power innovation. first of all, the european union will benefit from one of the

region's most dynamic, skilled and resilient economies. and europe will have a stronger footing in the fields that will drive the 21st-century economy like advanced ai, where ukraine has emerged already as a leader. now there is one more step being taken. making russia pay for the ukraine's recovery and its destruction. wow -- what putin destroyed, russia should and must pay to rebuild. it is what international law demands and what the ukrainian people deserve. congress has given us the power to seize russian assets in the united states and we intend to use it. we are working to see that russia's immobilized sovereign assets are used to remedy the damage that putin continues to cause. the g7 can unlock billions of dollars and send a powerful message to putin that time is not on its side.

finally, we will help ukraine people fully realize their democratic aspirations. for more than three decades, ukrainian people have been defending their right to choose the path to democracy, to europe, to the west. that is the path of millions of ukrainians from every part of the country voted for in 1991. it is what they fought to defend in 2004 and then again in 2014. and it is why you have fought back so tenaciously against this invasion. your determination to write the future of your nation is why so many around the world have been inspired by your site. including so many americans who now hang the yellow and blue flag next to the stars & stripes. that is what it is so important that ukraine keeps taking the

difficult steps to strengthen and consolidate your democracy. the choices that you make, the kind of democracy that you build, will determine the strength and the power of the coalition by ukraine's side. that means not just passing reforms, but making sure they are implemented and have a tangible impact on people's lives. it means living out corruption once and for all. winning on the battlefield will prevent ukraine from becoming part of russia. winning the war against corruption will keep ukraine from becoming russia. ukraine's security is eroded if the resources for its military are siphoned off by individuals looking to enrich themselves. ukraine's economic potential is undercut if investors cannot count on the level playing field. ukraine's democracy is a weekend if citizens stop believing they can hold their government accountable and fix the flaws in

their system. no wonder if putin wanted to weaponize corruption in ukraine. he knows how powerful corruption can be in sowing division and distrust, undermining faith in government and its institutions. after all sake has been fine-tuning these tactics at home for nearly 25 years. ukrainians have been battling corruption for decades with the results to show for it. ukraine is another few countries was -- has been rising in ranks over recent years, in no small part thanks to its incredibly skilled anticorruption activists , ngos. but more work remains to be done. eight in ten ukrainians still believe that there's one set of law for the elites and another for everyone else. and entrenched interests are doing their best to stymie

reform. ukraine's defenses against corruption have to be just as strong as its military defenses. and we know what those defenses are -- the independent judiciary, a free press, a vibrant, inclusive civil society, free and fair elections, independent, empowered anticorruption investigators, prosecutors, and judges. for decades, the united states and europe have been helping you build these democratic pillars from the bottom up, and we will keep supporting you as you accelerate those reforms that is why we are working with the government and civil society to shore up ukraine's election infrastructure. that way, as soon as ukrainians agree, all ukrainians, all ukrainians, including those displaced by russia's aggression, can exercise their right to vote, people in ukraine and around the world can have confidence that the voting

process is free, fair and secure. we sometimes hear that time is not on your side, that russia's bigger population and its willingness to throw more russians into a meatgrinder and think more of russia's resources into trying to subjugate ukraine, means a rush i cannot lose. in fact, russia has been losing the battle for 20 years. putin has been wrong. time is on ukraine's side. because with each passing month, the work we are doing together moves ukraine closer to membership in the european union and nato. with each passing month, ukraine's signs more bilateral security agreements, ramps up its industrial base, turns out more weapons, strengthens its economy, and consolidates its

democracy. as the war goes on, russia is going back in time. ukraine is moving forward. here is why i am confident ukraine will continue along that trajectory. because all of you. because of the people of ukraine. there is one thing putin has always underestimated, but that ukrainians understand, and that is the fierceness with which free people defend their right to shape their own destiny. the powerful dedication of one's neighbors, community, and nation and democracy. a spirit born of love, not hate. of hope, not fear. of perpetual possibility. we see it in countless people across this nation who have

opened their homes and their hearts to fellow citizens who have been displaced by the war. we see it in the artist who paints the boarded up windows in eastern ukraine with verses from ukrainian poets. in the bedrooms and basements and there were houses and farm houses across this country that ordinary citizens converted into donation centers for soldiers and for the displaced. in the ukrainian teachers who have set up schools in underground metro stations in kharkiv and start every day by telling the students, "i love you." in 1847, a great ukrainian poet was arrested in kyiv for daring to discuss with others the idea of a free society. he was sentenced to exile in the remote parts of russia. as he signed off on the verdict, the czar added to his

punishment, in his own hand, writing, "under strictest surveillance, with prohibition to write and paint." he endured more than a decade of brutal exile. his health deteriorated considerably. he pined constantly for ukraine. but he managed to keep writing. even writing poetry and hiding it in his shoes. he later wrote, for all of this grace, every kind of harshness passed as though it had not touched me. not a single part of the inner knee was changed. -- the inner me was changed. for decades, putin has caused grief for the people of ukraine. he has inflicted every kind of degradation and harshness, and

yet, what is inside ukrainians, that has not changed. the spirit in the ukrainians cannot be destroyed by a bump or buried in a mass grave. it cannot be bought or repressed with a threat. it is pure, it is unbreakable. and it is why ukraine will succeed. slava ukraini. [applause]