Visa restrictions for Russian citizens are fair, and all defenders of European values have to insist on them - the President of Ukraine's appeal
And first of all, together with the first lady, they met with young rescuers-you are young people, I am proud-children and teenagers who are not strong for their years, not responsible for their years. They raise money for the army, they help our wounded, help people, help save people's lives. They held in the Mariinsky Palace, in the White Hall of Heroes of Ukraine, a special award ceremony of such young heroes.
Maxim Brovchenko, Irina Vasilyeva, Alexander Gutsal, Yegor Shemet, David Ponulyak, Gleb Bondarenko, Andriy Pholya, Danilo Sergeyev. They are from seven to sixteen, and they are heroes. And their actions can be proud of so that not every adult is similar in biography. He also met today with representatives of various youth communities and organizations - educational, volunteer, military, creative, "Plast", with representatives of young people from the diaspora . . .
At the meeting was Marina Vyazovskaya - I am very proud - one of the most famous young Ukrainian women, which received the highest The Mathematics Award is the famous Filda medal. We spoke very warmly and fruitfully about the defense of our country, about victory - it will not be around the mountains - about the future of Ukraine, about our institutions. Very good ideas have sounded - we will implement them. He held talks today with Pontiff.
He thanked the Pope Francis for the support of Ukrainians. Discussed what we can do together to bring peace to the state. He informed him about the situation on the forefront and constant efforts of Russia to increase the level of terror. He agrees, supports us. On the eve of Latvia, a decision was made - Latvia officially recognized Russia as a sponsor of terrorism. We work to do the whole world. It's fair. It is right. And it will be.
After all that the occupiers have made in Ukraine, there can be only one attitude to Russia-as a terrorist state. And, by the way, it is from this point of view to the attitude towards the citizens of Russia. I thank the Czech Republic, the Baltic States and other countries that have officially brought the issue of visas for the terrorist citizens in Europe.
Of course, we all understand: there are people who really need protection that are persecuted in Russia, even can kill, and therefore they have to get help of a civilized world. These are known legal mechanisms - through refugees, because of the request for shelter, through other opportunities to help and support. But this is for those who are fighting for those who are persecuted. And it should not relate to the rest of Russian citizens in Europe, tourism, entertainment, business affairs.
It is impossible to work on a terrorist state . . . First, there should be a guarantee that Russian killers and state terror manuals will not use Schengen. And secondly, it is impossible to destroy the very idea of Europe, our common European values, that is, it is impossible to turn Europe into a supermarket, in which it doesn't matter who comes in-the main thing is that a person just pays for goods.
Therefore, visa restrictions for citizens of the Russian Federation are fair, and all defenders of European values should insist on them. In the evening he signed a decree on the awarding of our soldiers, heroes. 181 The participant of hostilities was awarded with state awards, 33 of them posthumously. In total, more than 26. 5 thousand Ukrainians and Ukrainian women have been awarded during the war.