Zelensky Addresses UN, Claims He’ll Retake All of the Ukraine with Enough Weapons and Money

Zelensky dialed in to the UN, unshaven in a green t-shirt, and karaoke sang Blue Oyster Cult’s hit song “Burnin’ for You.”

He didn’t do that, but I mean… it would have sent the same message and been less gay.

AP:

Ukraine’s president laid out a detailed case against Russia’s invasion at the United Nations and demanded punishment from world leaders in a speech delivered just hours after Moscow made an extraordinary announcement that it would mobilize some reservists for the war effort.

Buoyed by a counteroffensive that has retaken swaths of territory that the Russians seized, Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed in a video address Wednesday that his forces would not stop until they had reclaimed all of Ukraine.

I probably wouldn’t agree to the use of the word “swaths.” The map looks more or less the same.

And for the record, they didn’t defeat Russia – Russia made a strategic retreat, clearly with the plan to deploy 300,000 reserve troops.

We can return the Ukrainian flag to our entire territory. We can do it with the force of arms,” the president said in a speech delivered in English. “But we need time.”

Video speeches by Zelenskyy in an olive green T-shirt have become almost commonplace. But this speech was one of the most keenly anticipated at the U.N. General Assembly, where the war has dominated.

I would take issue with these green T-shirt speeches being “almost commonplace.” They are intensely and radically commonplace.

The topic popped up in speeches by leaders from all over the world who deplored the invasion not least because they said it was not consistent with the cornerstone principles of the United Nations — including respect for sovereignty.

“It’s an attack on this very institution where we find ourselves today,” said Moldovan President President Maia Sandu, whose country borders Ukraine.

U.S. President Joe Biden’s address, too, focused heavily on the war in Ukraine.

“This war is about extinguishing Ukraine’s right to exist as a state, plain and simple, and Ukraine’s right to exist as a people. Whoever you are, wherever you live, whatever you believe, that should make your blood run cold,” he said. “If nations can pursue their imperial ambitions without consequences, then we put at risk everything this very institution stands for. Everything.”

Now that’s just total bullshit.

Russia had three goals:

  • De-militarization (removal of the CIA terrorists who were slaughtering Russians in the Donbass, removal of NATO influence)
  • A signed agreement from Zelensky to never join NATO
  • Donbass independence

Those conditions could have been met before the invasion and Russia would never have invaded. Putin has said repeatedly he will pull out as soon as these conditions are met. Well, the third condition has changed, because Russia has had to fight and people have died to take land beyond the Donbass. So they’re keeping it, which is fair. But they will leave the country if Zelensky signs a deal.

Claiming Russia is trying to genocide Ukraine people is just a stupid lie, and it is truly incredible that these people can just say such lies. They can only do it because of censorship, frankly.

The war will remain front and center at the gathering on Thursday, when the Security Council plans to take up the issue.

Russia hasn’t yet had its turn to speak at the gathering.

Putin, who is not attending the General Assembly, has said he sent his armed forces into Ukraine because of risks to his country’s security from what he considers a hostile government in Kyiv; to liberate Russians living in Ukraine — especially its eastern region of the Donbas — from what he views as the Ukrainian government’s oppression; and to restore what he considers to be Russia’s historical territorial claims on the country.

That’s only slightly truer than what Biden said. Putin has not said “restoring historical territorial claims.” He’s only said what I noted above.