On the 14th December 2022, the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of thought is awarded to the "brave people of Ukraine". A ceremony takes place in the European Parliament, in Strasbourg. After the ceremony, Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Sakharov prize laureates hold a press conference. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

EU - Ukraine (T)

statement

Strasbourg

troubles in Ukraine (T)

press conference

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

president's agenda

solidarity with Ukraine (T)

Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought 2022 (T)

VSEVOLOD, Chentsov

FEDOROV, Ivan

BOZHKO, Yaroslav

MATVIYCHUK, Oleksandra

Press conference by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, and by the Sakharov Prize 2022 laureates

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Thank you very much. Good afternoon to you all. There is no one more deserving of this prize. The 2022 Sakharov Prise for Freedom of Thought belongs to the brave people of Ukraine. This award is for all those Ukrainians fighting on the ground, for all those Ukrainians who have been forced to flee. For all those Ukrainians who have lost relatives and friends. For all those Ukrainians who stand up and fight for what they believe in.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, This is also the first time that this prise has been awarded to the people of a country represented by their president, elected leaders and civil society. And I thank Yulia Payevska for founder of the Evacuation Medical Unit Dangers of Tiro, Oleksandra Matviichuk chair of the Centre for Civil Liberties and Iván Fédorov, mayor of Melitópol for joining me here at this press conference.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Your presence is a recognition that this prize goes beyond leaders. It is an appreciation of each and every single person in Ukraine, ordinary people who are defending your country, your liberty, your homes, and your families of people who are risking everything to help others and also to help each other.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We will never forget that the Ukrainian people are also risking their lives for Europe to safeguard the values we all believe in: freedom, democracy and the rule of law. With this prize, the European Parliament wants to express its respect and admiration for all Ukrainians, ultimately defending the freedom of thought.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, My message in the hemicycle was, and I will repeat here, I know that the brave people of Ukraine will not give up. And I can reassure everybody that neither will we. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (Russian), Yulia Payevska , Evacuation Medical Center, Greetings to everyone. This is a great privilege for me. To be receiving this prise on behalf of all of the people of Ukraine, I can personally represent the armed forces of Ukraine. I am joining a sergeant of the armed forces. I can also represent the volunteer community, the wounded and the prisoners of war.

SOUNDBITE (Russian), Yulia Payevska , Evacuation Medical Center, Together with Ivan, we represent this category of our compatriots, and we represent all of the Ukrainians who are extraordinarily committed and are defending our land as well as our freedom and your freedom. I am grateful for this recognition and on behalf of the whole of Ukraine, I can say that. So do you have any difficulties? You can always count on support from Ukraine, from our armed forces and from our society. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Oleksandra Matviichuk , Chair of the Civil Liberties, I am a human rights defender and its president. I and my other colleagues are doing our job in circumstances when the law doesn't work. Russian troops deliberately shelling on residential buildings, schools, churches, hospitals, attack evacuation corridors, manage filtration camps, system organise forcible deportations, commit murder, rape, torture, abductions, and other kinds of offences against civilian population.

SOUNDBITE (English), Oleksandra Matviichuk , Chair of the Civil Liberties, There is no military purpose in doing this. Russians have only done this horrible things because they could. Russians attempt to break people resistance and occupy Ukraine by the immense pain of civilian population. We document this pain. No just violations of Geneva Conventions. This war has a very distinct value dimension. This is not just a war between two states. This is a war between two systems, authoritarianism and democracy.

SOUNDBITE (English), Oleksandra Matviichuk , Chair of the Civil Liberties, And Putin tried to convince the whole world that democracy, rule of law and human rights are fake values because they couldn't protect you during the war. We must break the circle of impunity which Russians enjoyed for decades in Chechnya, in Moldova, in Georgia, in Mali, in Syria, in Libya, in other countries of the world. We must establish international tribunal and halt Putin, Lukashenko and other world criminals accountable.

SOUNDBITE (English), Oleksandra Matviichuk , Chair of the Civil Liberties, The entire international system of peace and security couldn't stop Russian atrocities. That's why all Ukrainians ask for weapons. This two days, we heard that we are fighting not just for Ukraine, but for the Europe. If it's so. May I ask you a question? Why we still have been form part of battle tanks.

SOUNDBITE (English), Oleksandra Matviichuk , Chair of the Civil Liberties, Why do my friend Ukranian defender Adriano, had to blow up on their minds in civilian car. While so many countries have armoured vehicles in their storages. If authoritarian regimes cooperate, which is other. Democracies. Have support each other even better. It's very symbolical that this year the brave people of Ukraine received the Sakharov Award.

SOUNDBITE (English), Oleksandra Matviichuk , Chair of the Civil Liberties, Because people have a much greater impact than they even can imagine. And massive mobilisation of ordinary people in different countries of the world can change the world history quicker than the U.N. intervention. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Iván Fédorov , Mayor of Melitópol , I am grateful for the award for all Ukrainian people. The most deserving for this award is in military who choose our victory and defend European principles at cost of their life. Residents of temporarily occupied territories who didn't give up and continue to resistance despite the terror. Temporarily relocated person who do not know if they will return Homs because do not know if the house will survive in the occupation of all territory of Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (English), Iván Fédorov , Mayor of Melitópol , I am grateful to the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, for standing up for the Ukrainian people in front of European leaders and all international communities and show an example of invisibility. Today, all European Union is preparing for Christmas and New Year, but Ukrainians preparing for a victory. While Christmas lights are lit in European cities, candle lit in the Ukrainian cities due to blackout.

SOUNDBITE (English), Iván Fédorov , Mayor of Melitópol , But without light. We do not let the darkness of Russia into Europe. But we need more weapons. We need more military equipment to defeat our territories as quick as possible. Every Ukrainians is fight today. No one is give up. Everyone does everything to bring victory closer. After all, it is a matter in dignity and freedom, democracy and human rights for us.

SOUNDBITE (English), Iván Fédorov , Mayor of Melitópol , And we will stand until the end for our motherland, for the future of our children, and for the trees for European Union. This can be no political compromise where crimes against in the who nation, the life of the people on the temporally occupied territories cannot be a bargaining chip. So we must fight for the liberation of all territories of our country. And last but very important. When we will win, we win together with the European Union. If we will lose. Will this together because Ukrainians defence for our values centre.

Q&amp;A, Question regarding on the necessary steps for prevent this atrocities again

Q&amp;A, Question regarding on the trip that Metsola did to Ukraine and the memories that she has of this

Q&amp;A, Question regarding on the weakest link in EU countries or politicians

Q&amp;A, Question regarding on the disgnation of Russia&acute;s attacks as a genocide

Q&amp;A, Question regarding on the meaning of Sakharov Prize in this moment to the Ukranians people

Q&amp;A, Question regarding on the use of the money from Sakharov Prize 