Sayings
His words, verbatim — every quotation below is cited with its venue and date. Paraphrases are never presented as quotations.
“I really do not want my pictures in your offices, for the President is not an icon, an idol or a portrait.”
Inaugural address to the Verkhovna Rada, Kyiv, 20 May 2019 — in the same speech in which he announced the dissolution of parliament.
Source: Inaugural address, 20 May 2019, as reported by Reuters and international press.
“Ми тут. We are here.”
Selfie video from Bankova Street, Kyiv, 26 February 2022 — Zelenskyy, flanked by senior officials including Andriy Yermak and Denys Shmyhal, confirms he remains in the capital two days after the full-scale invasion began.
Source: Official video address, 26 February 2022 (Ukrainian presidency).
“We are working. The army is working. Do not panic. We are strong. We are ready for everything. We will defeat everyone. Because we are Ukraine.”
Address to the nation on the morning of the full-scale invasion, 24 February 2022.
Source: Official address, 24 February 2022, as reported by Reuters and international press.
“We will defend our land, with or without the support of partners.”
Address to the Munich Security Conference, 19 February 2022 — five days before the full-scale invasion.
Source: Munich Security Conference address, 19 February 2022, as reported by international press.
“We will fight to the end, at sea, in the air. We will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost… We will fight in the forests, in the fields, on the shores and in the streets.”
Address to the UK House of Commons by video, 8 March 2022 — deliberately echoing Winston Churchill’s 1940 “we shall fight on the beaches” speech.
Source: House of Commons address, 8 March 2022 (Hansard; BBC).
“I have a dream. These are the words I know. I have a need. I need to protect our sky.”
Address to the U.S. Congress by video, 16 March 2022.
Source: Congressional address, 16 March 2022 (Congressional Record; NPR).
“It’s very difficult to talk when you see what they’ve done here.”
During his visit to Bucha, April 2022, after the Russian withdrawal and the discovery of civilian killings.
Source: Bucha visit remarks, April 2022, as reported by Reuters, AP, and international press.
“I want this aggressive Russian war to end justly and on the basis of the UN Charter and international law.”
Video address presenting the 10-point peace formula to the G20 summit, Bali, 15 November 2022.
Source: G20 address transcript, 15 November 2022 (Ukrainian presidency).
“Your money is not charity. It’s an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.”
Address to a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress, Washington, 21 December 2022.
Source: Congressional Record, 21 December 2022.
“We will celebrate our holidays! As always, we will smile and be happy. As always — the difference is one: we will not wait for a miracle, as we have been waiting for it all these years, we will create it ourselves.”
Christmas Eve address, 24 December 2022.
Source: Official address, 24 December 2022 (Ukrainian presidency; international press).
“Nobody believes in our victory like I do. Nobody.”
Interview with TIME magazine, published 30 October 2023.
Source: TIME, 30 October 2023.
“Together with our partners, we must change the circumstances so that the war ends.”
Presentation of the Victory Plan to the Verkhovna Rada, 16 October 2024.
Source: Verkhovna Rada address, 16 October 2024, as reported by Reuters and international press.
A note on the famous unconfirmed remark
The line most often attributed to Zelenskyy — “I need ammunition, not a ride”, supposedly his reply to a U.S. offer of evacuation in February 2022 — is reported but unconfirmed. It was reported by the Associated Press and others as attributed to a senior U.S. intelligence official describing the call; neither the Ukrainian nor the U.S. side has confirmed it as a verbatim quotation. It is therefore not listed above. See Public Record for the full accounting.
Source notes
- All quotations are verbatim as published by the cited venue; translations from Ukrainian follow the official presidency English versions where available.
- Congressional addresses: Congressional Record; UK address: Hansard.
- G20 and Christmas addresses: Ukrainian presidency transcripts.
- TIME interview: TIME, 30 October 2023.
- Photograph: Zelenskyy speaking in Germany, 11 July 2021 (Ukrainian presidency, CC BY 4.0); see sources.