By KYIV. Dec 9 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Fifth President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko received the IDU’s Bush-Thatcher Award for Freedom at the Forum of the International Democrat Union (IDU) in Washington, the press service of the European Solidarity political party reported on Friday.
In his speech, Poroshenko thanked the people of Ukraine for their courage and called on Western partners to give more weapons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine – in particular, Patriot air defense systems, jet fighters, F-16, and tanks, Abrams.
"Thank you for the great award and for the honor to pass it on to the brave and heroic people of Ukraine, who are fighting day and night against a very powerful and cruel enemy – the second army of the world, a nuclear state and a cruel neo-imperialist dictatorial regime," Petro Poroshenko said, whose words are quoted by the press service of the European Solidarity.
As Petro Poroshenko noted, today it is the yellow-blue Ukrainian umbrella that protects democracy, freedom and our common values on the European continent. "Introduce more sanctions, more isolation of Russia," he said. "Give us more weapons to protect and cleanse our land from the Russian aggressor. We need air defense systems like Patriot, jet fighters like F-16, tanks like Abrams," Poroshenko said.
He stressed that Putin’s criminal regime must be held accountable for war crimes and genocide against Ukrainians.
"After February 24, I became even more convinced of Ukraine’s future in the EU and NATO. Because Ukraine needs the EU and NATO today. It is Ukraine’s membership in the EU and NATO that strengthens security on the European continent and guarantees our victory," Poroshenko is convinced.
The International Democrat Union (IDU) is a global association of center-right political forces from 65 countries.
The Bush-Thatcher Award for Freedom is the IDU’s highest distinction. This award honors the two main founders of the IDU, historical leaders of their time, whose legacy embodies the core mission of the IDU to promote freedom and democracy throughout the world: President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
