“Ukraine is fighting for freedom in Europe,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stressed receiving earlier tonight the award “Charlemagne”, dedicated to the unity of Europe.

“Europe owes a lot to the Ukrainian people and personally to President Volodymyr Zelensky. We are united, we belong to each other and our history will continue together,” said Chancellor Olaf Solz, introducing the honoree at the ceremony held in Aachen’s town hall.

The approximately 700 guests in the “crown hall” in Aachen’s town hall received the Ukrainian president with a standing ovation.

He spoke of a “great honor” and received the award “in the name of the Ukrainian people who fight every day for their freedom and for the values ​​of Europe”. Each of these Ukrainians deserved to be here, he noted, stressing that his country “wants nothing more than peace – but that can only be achieved at this juncture with victory.” The war in Ukraine will also decide the fate of Europe, “because Russia wants to undo the history of European integration”, continued Mr. Zelensky. “We are facing an aggressor who is capable of all atrocity and cruelty. But we are not afraid,” he said characteristically.

Mr. Soltz, for his part, thanked the Ukrainian president and the Ukrainian people because, as he said, they are defending European values. He remembered Volodymyr Zelensky’s words on the morning of the Russian attack on Ukraine. “The president is here. We are all here,” the chancellor said in Ukrainian. “Rarely in history have so few words had so much impact,” he commented. For Mr. Soltz, it was clear that the Ukrainian people were not going to bow to Russian violence, but would resist. “Europe owes a lot to the Ukrainian people and personally to President Volodymyr Zelensky. War proves that we are united. We belong to each other and our history will continue together!” the chancellor added.

Its president also spoke at the event European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, who emphatically stated that Ukrainians “secure the future of their children and our children with their blood” and fight for freedom, humanity and peace, but also Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who described the Ukrainian president as a “defender of European values”, “a great European leader and hero of the 21st century, a role model for every politician”.

Mr Zelensky arrived in Aachen with Chancellor Olaf Solz, by military helicopter from Berlin. Earlier, the chancellery had announced the largest aid package from Germany to Ukraine to date, amounting to 2.7 billion euros. The Ukrainian president repeatedly thanked the German leadership and the German people for their support and called for the formation of a “combat aircraft alliance” so that, as he said, Ukraine would finally have a modern air force.

Volodymyr Zelensky moves later tonight to Paris, where he will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron. With his departure comes the end of the security measures, which were stricter even than the measures taken during the visits of US presidents or Israeli officials.