European Parliament Awards Sakharov Prize to Ukrainian People

Storyful
2 年前

The European Parliament awarded the Sakharov Parliamentary Prize for Freedom of Thought to the Ukrainian people on Wednesday, December 14, to acknowledge their fight against Russia’s invasion.

Awarding the prize, Parliament President Roberta Metsola said: “The message from Europe has been clear: We stand with Ukraine," according to a press release from the parliament. “We will not look away. The Ukrainian people are not just fighting a war of independence but fighting a war of values.”

Speaking via video link, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “We must act now, not waiting for the war to end, to bring to justice all those who unleashed it and to prevent any repetition of aggression," according to the press release.

Other elected leaders and members of Ukrainian civil society were also present to receive the award, such as Mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov and representatives of the State Emergency Services Oleksandr Chekryhin and Stanislav Kulykivskyi.

Video released by the EPP Group, the largest group in the European Parliament, shows the award ceremony. Credit: EPP Group via Storyful