decades, so please do not fool around, stock up on supplies, especially batteries and non perishable foods. if you really do need to go out in the storm, please stay safe, we really do want you around in the new year. and before i let you go, have one more thing, we need to acknowledge the retirement of a very important member of the 11th hour team. our senior producer sharon, aka the woman in my ear every night, the woman shouting wrap, wrap, wrap as been a leader of the 11th hour for over four years. more importantly, she has been bringing you the news both over the radio, and on television for nearly five decades. and that time, she has demonstrated an unbelievable work ethic, dedication, and a commitment to the most important thing, doing the right thing. i would like to thank sharon personally, for allowing me to be just a small part in this

last chapter of an absolutely spectacular career. i am so fortunate to have shared this time with you, sharon. we all wish you the best of luck, we will miss, you and congratulations on an absolutely brilliant career. it is my privilege to have our dear colleague -- take us off the air tonight. and on that no i wish you all is very good night. from all of our colleagues across the networks of nbc news, thanks for staying up late with, us i will see you at the end of tomorrow. i am rachel maddow joined in the studio by ari melber, jen psaki, alex wagner, and our friend, andrew weissmann.

our colleague, simone sanders -- stories and that are breaking and developing all at once tonight. ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy has left ukraine for the first time since russia invaded ukraine and started their war ten months ago. the zelenskyy's joint addressed congress tonight, it's expected to start in a matter of minutes. we are bringing that to you live. that is happening on a day where we also have major domestic news breaking, and some very big ways is kind of the part of the same story. that is at least part of the big not at all theoretical question of our age, which is of course do we have the rule of law, or not? do we live by democracy, or do we live under authoritarian rule by force. in russia right now, the

leading opposition figure in that country's rotting in prison. the grave crime of running an anti-corruption group. alexei navalny's group produced reports, videos, youtube videos exposing or the most important consequences for russia that they live under authoritarian rule. if it is mass theft. grand scale corruption from their leader. navalny's group exposed vladimir putin's secret palaces, his secret estates, the villas and chateaus and wineries and ranches and yachts and airplanes controlled by putin and his family, and his friends. in a no rule of law environment in a country where you rule by force and take what you want, you get runaway corruption. you get mysteriously rich leaders with a secret billion dollar palaces. you get the leaders technically unemployed, and skilled family, members somehow buying chalets

and yachts, under authoritarian rule where elections do not matter, and rulers do not answer to the people, the ruler takes what he wants by force, by when. the rules, the criminal law, the tax, echoed those things do not apply to the people at the top, they are only used against regular people, or as tools of oppression, vengeance, and intimidation against the rulers and enemies. and so, alexei navalny is in jail right now as we speak, as is -- every other opposition leader in russia who hasn't been murdered or exiled. the population of russia hates the war that vladimir putin is waging on ukraine, but they have no say in the matter. increasingly, they -- but there is no opportunity to get rid of, him and no successor to him is allowed to march. the people in russia do not get to vote in a way that has consequences, they live under authoritarian rule, they get no

say. and that now includes tens of thousands of russian men who have been killed in putin's war on ukraine, which the population again probably does not support, but it is literally illegal to criticize. what is the answer to that? what is the opposing force against that? and in one very specific sense, it is this man. the president of ukraine, volodymyr zelenskyy, who will address a joint meeting of the congress tonight. but in another sense, it is us, it is the ignited states of america as a nation, here tonight volodymyr zelenskyy addresses a joint meeting of the u.s. congress as the leader of a free country, a democracy that putin just decided he would take for his own like it was some other state as if he was just going to decide to pocket. since putin invaded ukraine in february, this trip is the first time zelenskyy has left his country. he is coming here of all places

in the world, because the united states is the most powerful ally he has, not just because we are rich, not just because we have supplied him why so many of the weapons his army needs for the war but also because of who we are and what we stand for in the world. we don't always do it right, and we fall short of our ideal sometimes, but we do still stand internationally as the flagship small anti-democratic nation, the exemplary of success in the world. success through democracy, world not by, force but the consent of the government, power constrained by the rule of law. that is who we are on earth, and in our best moments we aspire to be, and we today remain the best living argument there is against rising authoritarianism around the world. and so, it is fitting, they know what they are doing, it is part of the same story that at

the same time on the same day that zelenskyy leaves ukraine and comes here, for this address to congress, to submit this alliance with us on the same day, we pound to -- and our own efforts to shore ourselves up against authoritarianism and the threat to the rule of law here. tonight, we are anticipating the release of the final report of the investigation into how our last american president tried to throw out the results of the last election, and to use force and violent as a means of staying in power instead. bottom line, we know that report finds that he should be prosecuted for his actions by the u.s. department of justice, and it recommends that the justice department do that. tonight, we started to get the first of dozens of transcripts of witnesses who testified to that investigation, we will be talking about that in detail over the course of the special coverage tonight. at the same time, we have just gotten the findings from the part of congress that oversees

the tax authorities, they have just notified the public that while the former president according to his white house chief of staff was demanding that the irs mount exceedingly rare prop -- invasive super financial audit of his perceived enemies, the director and deputy director of the fbi. jim and andrew mccabe, while trump was demanding the irs we will get against them. wielded as a weapon against his perceived enemies. both of those men were subjected to those very rare, audits nevertheless the former president himself was not audited. despite an overt clear rule that as president that is mandatory. for most of the eoc was president, we now know he paid somewhere between zero dollars, and $750 in income taxes. and, he was not audited, even though irs rules say as president he must be. , democracy and the rule of law

yoke leaders to the consent of the governed and they assure that even the most powerful people, even the leaders, are subject to law, and subject therefore to law enforcement. and so, on a day like this, america is having a moment. we are not just being reminded of our first principles, we are today going through the hard nitty-gritty work of what it means to live by those principles, to stand up for them, to fight for them against those who want to roll us another way, it turns out it is expensive, it is hard, it comes with a lot of friction, but it is connected. today is the day zelenskyy for the first time leaves ukraine and flies of course to america. and it is the day our own attempted coup gets its response. and it is the day the leader of our attempted coup gets his tax scam exposed. how he got himself exempted from the real somehow, and instead wielded those rules as

a -- against his enemies. it is three big stories happening all at once, and of course in the biggest sense it is all the same story. it is the question of our age. i want to bring my friends at the table are the host of -- jen psaki former white house press secretary, and a forthcoming show that will launch next year is basically, now so soon, alex wagner the host of alex wagner tonight, and the one and only ali velshi that host of velshi here on msnbc. we should know, ali, you spent several weeks reporting in ukraine, and so i want to ask, you how are you feeling tonight about this? you know, this surprise news, we knew at the very last moment president-elect he was coming. >> it is really personal to us in america, right, when we see volodymyr zelenskyy who is seen on tv, making appearances every -- since the first day of the war, the day in which he was offered a way out of ukraine, if you recall. a intelligent in the west said that this was not going to be a

long war, and they were going to allow volodymyr zelenskyy first to move to the west of ukraine and then to move to poland to be able to operate in exile. he said no. >> and russia confidently saying he had fled the country, and -- >> then he shows up on tv, and, kyiv night after night, he continues to show up in tv, on tv. this is a guy who when i was in ukraine doing your show, people told me i did not vote for him because i couldn't take him seriously. he was an interesting fellow, but i did not vote for him. i did not think he was they got to do it. i did not believe he was scrapped, and i didn't believe somebody non corrupt good when ukraine, because ukraine does have a corruption problem, and by the, way in a world where vladimir putin is going to come for ukraine, they didn't think that volodymyr zelenskyy was going to be the right guy to stand up to vladimir putin. 300 days, later we said, here and we watch this man addressed the u.s. congress and give us a message that we are going to take a way of protecting our own democracy, because we are

in the fight in a different way. i think this is deeply meaningful, those three stories that we are talking about watching, volodymyr zelenskyy as -- is going to mean a lot to us. >> and, shoring up our support, i think he is putting some -- about our own abilities to stand up for our demarcus here as well. >> and remember, we all see him in his civilian fatigues, if you will, but i remember -- >> in a form of sorts. >> but i remember in the -- sitting next to donald trump on the outskirts of the un general assembly when the scandal that led to trump's first impeachment, this first breaking, this is a person who is born firsthand witness to the -- american democracy, the corruption at the level of the presidency, and some version of the apex where we will support you, we will stand with you in this fight for your effective existence. >> yeah, i mean, it is so often the events like what have been

happening in ukraine feel faraway to americans. it feels foreign, it feels like it has nothing to do with us, and i will stay in the spring i remember my in-laws coming to visit, me and, saying the ukrainian people, they need more, assistance they need more help. we have seen that on television, and -- who have turned out for a while, why this matters, it is not a mystery if we allow autocracy in the united states to defeat democracy. look at what is happening in russia. president putin has crackdown on protesters, he has crackdown on media, he has confusion out there in the public we're putting out confusing information through all of the parts, including in the united states. that is where we will head if we have another trump turn, if we allowed to be defeated by autocracy. -- >> there is too much into what was released here at the table, he did not leave the country, in exile, or fear.

tonight, he leaves the country initial strength, with a show of power and prestige of the biden administration which has a different approach from last one as mentioned, it is a show of strength for him to do this physically as a security move, and addressing what is still the premium minute superpower, and the counterbalance to russia's -- lucre arsenal that cannot apparently vanquish this smaller nation with the problems you mentioned, rachel, so i think there's really interesting now he leaves with a show of strength, but also the alliance from the west which they need to survive. >> what we are watching on the left side of your, screen the first shots we have got inside this joint meeting of congress. not technically a joint session, they need a former resolution to establish a joint session of congress, excuse, me but this is a joint meeting of congress.

we saw a dear colleague letter santo earlier from house weaker nancy pelosi, this may be the last joint meeting, the last large amounts like this in congress that she oversees our speaker. she is gravelling things in now. >> the house will be in order, welcoming the senate, just welcome. the vice president and the united states senate. [applause] >> this of course is the floor of the, house and the senate is

being welcomed to the joint meeting. the president of the senate of course is the vice president of the united states, kamala harris. you saw her there. democratic leader of the senate there chuck schumer, mitch mcconnell, we do not exactly know how full of the chamber will be tonight, lots of members of house, the house and senate obviously thinking about that big storm that is weighing down. so, looming over so much of the country right, now thinking about getting home for the holidays, but there are important votes ahead. in terms of funding the government, for both houses, now that also as i was mentioning before, nancy pelosi had sent a dear colleague, an emotional dear colleague a letter today to moments of the house to please be there, tonight and you see members of the senate filing, and dick durbin democratic leadership, he had said earlier tonight even as he is i believe one of the chairs of the evening caucus in the senate, you are saying he was not sure he was going to be there because of the pressures of the weather and honestly travel plans, seeing senator --

one of the republican leaders on the side. as we are watching these members of the senate file into the house for the short meeting of congress, let's bring into the conversation our friend -- nbc news presidential historian, michael, thank you for being with us today, as we prepare for these remarks tonight, i think you have helped focus a lot of us on the limited press that there is for something like this, a lot of focus, tonight and a lot of people reflecting back just over 81 years ago when winston churchill came and adjusted joint meeting of congress, the day after christmas in 1941 just was less than three weeks after the pearl harbor attack as the u.s. was starting to join our ally, great britain and fighting the nazis in world war ii. >> absolutely, rachel, and look at the parallel, to 1941, on this evening in 1941, winston churchill came across the state, it was world war -- two, it was dangerous for him, and suddenly arrives in the

white house by surprise. and, it appears there at the side of roosevelt, in the oval office, they met with reporters, and they lit a christmas, history and then finally winston churchill went to the hospital and spoke to the congress. just as you were saying earlier, what was the big question in 1941, you know very well an effort in about and talked about the big question i would say in 1941 for americans was, will our democracy survive our home over weekend authoritarianism. as many fascist leaders wanted to do. a broad around the world, will freedom and democracy survive, or will we have to accommodate to a world of idle filler and authoritarianism. as you know, and have, coldest people like charles lindbergh the former hero or -- america first, we shouldn't try to fight hitler, he's inevitable. let's make this deal that we can.

and, against, this franklin roosevelt and winston churchill were saying, democracy has strength that and a talkers he does not. it is supple, it directs its mistakes, it does not keep in power and out of touch leader who increasingly does things that are against the country. it does not sound like vladimir putin. >> michael, when we think about the consequences of a trump like this, as you described, just as churchill crossing the atlantic in december 1941 was a show of bravery, and a show of the strength and importance of the alliance between britain and the united states, this does show resolve, and it does show bravery. but is there -- does history tell us that we should be looking for a practical impact of what it means to get these leaders together face-to-face to have zelenskyy and biden sitting together in the white house

talking one on one, not at a formal event, not in front of other people, but able to do this in person. do we expected practical white e

talking one on one, not at a formal event, not in front of other people, but able to do this in person. do we expected practical the ber leaders, better allies helped him to win the war. >> michael, nbc news presidential historian, invaluable to have you with us tonight. michael, as we are watching the scene -- thank you, michael. as we are watching the scene, it is interesting, i mean, i guess this happens whenever you get joint meetings in a state of the union, it feels like a good non partisan mixed we are seeing. democrats and republicans. >> a handful of republicans who have said when they take over, it is not going to gain any ground, but they don't want to support ukraine at this level, so i am waiting to see if anybody else anything out or does anything, because this is traditionally home around four republicans. the ability to stand up against, russia and a handful of people in that republican caucus or

not on board with this. >> there were 57 house members who voted against funding in may, right, 11 members of the senate. and, camo mccarthy voted for funding, and he hasn't spoken against it. so the question is, where does that wing of the party, as he is trying to win the speakership, land? >> i was thinking, and my conversation with michael, rachel, and i think when we talk about the importance of zelenskyy being in the flesh, in the united states, it is probably also strategic in so far as, zelenskyy is asking for more american resources, right, and in order to do that, you need to show gains. we know narrative lee what is happening, but the very fact that zelenskyy is able to be here, to have left the war front, is a signal of the fact that ukrainian forces remain strong, that he feels he can take the risk, that it is calculated and the right thing to do to get the resources he needs. >> it is a balanced, because you need to say we are strong enough that we are worth

investing in, but we are not so strong that i don't -- for granted. it is a delicate thing. joining us now is former u.s. ambassador -- hold on, just one moment, we will bring our ambassador -- i believe that hold on, i'm wrong. ambassador -- former u.s. ambassador to russia michael mcfaul, mr., you have actually been in contact with presidency lynskey and his team on an almost daily basis recently, including today. we are really curious to hear what you know about what we should expect tonight, and the importance of this stress. >> the joint meeting will -- >> i don't want to be speaking over the speaker. >> on the part of the house, to escort his excellent see flooding mirror zelenskyy, president of ukraine into the chamber. the gentleman from maryland, the gentleman from massachusetts the gentlewoman from massachusetts miss clark, the gentleman from new york mr.

jeffries and gentleman from california mr. -- the gentleman from new york mr. meeks, the gentlewoman from ohio miss captor, the gentlewoman excuse me the gentle from illinois mr. quigley. the gentleman from california mr. mccarthy, the gentleman from california mr. -- the gentleman from texas miss -- the gentleman from atlanta mr. rogers, the gentleman from texas mr. mccaul, the gentleman from arkansas mr. hill, the gentleman from pennsylvania mr. fitzpatrick, the gentlewoman from indiana miss boards. >> you say that. >> the president of the senate at the direction of that body appoints the following senators as members of the committee on the part of the senate to escort his excellence e volodymyr zelenskyy president of ukraine into the house chamber. the senator from new york mr.

schumer. the senator from illinois, mr. durbin. the senator from washington, mrs. murray. the senator from -- the senator from minnesota, miss -- senator from new jersey mr. menendez, the senator from maryland mr. cardin, the senator from kentucky mr. mcconnell, the senator from south dakota mr. -- the senator from iowa miss hurst, the senator from missouri mr. blunt, the senator from mississippi mr. wicker, the senator from idaho mr. -- and the senator from ohio mr. -- >> the members of the committee will exit the chamber through the lobby doors. >> ambassador michael mcfaul, i apologize, a cap catapulted you into that sound clash with speaker of the house nancy

pelosi in the vice president. let me ask you again, what you see in terms of your contact with zelenskyy's team, in terms of how why they thought this was important, and what you are expecting tonight. >> so, you are talking about concrete objectives, i think there were two. one with the president and his team, they want more offensive weapons, they believe that fighting in the war on a battlefield and they still meant is not in the long term national interest, that is what the -- behinds was about. today sticks went to the american people why you need to stay with them, they worry that we are in a -- and by the way, they are right about, that we are losing interest. this is a way to bring it back to the forefront, look at us, we are all talking tonight about ukraine. that is exactly why he came, and that is the best -- >> in terms of the one-on-one discussions between president zelenskyy and president biden, obviously the white house has

gone to great pains to make sure that this visit is coordinated with the announcement of new weapons, including qualitatively different weapons they have received before, including those pritchard offensive weapons. a different type of support, a whole different level of support, or just to be able to continue the flow of weapons, even where they are public and controlled congress taking over in january. >> rachel, he wants both. he wants continued support, he wants not just one patriot, who once many patriots, but he also wants offensive weapons. these long range missile systems, they, fighter aircraft, you need offensive weapons to go on offense. they want to go on offense to push the russians, out but whether or not the biden administration agrees to, that i do not know that, so far they have not agreed to. that i'm quite sure that that was the nature of the conversation today at the white house.

>> how does it land in ukraine when president biden and others in the administration explain, and they have been pretty blunt about this, that they are willing to arm ukraine. they are willing to even up the level of support for ukraine, up to the point where long range weapons could be used to launch a series of attacks well inside russia. they have said, we will give you essentially a short and medium term weapons, but not long or long range weapons. because, we do not want you to have that much of a capacity to hit russia deep within its borders. how does that argument land in kyiv. >> these are really hard decisions, they are worried about escalation, worried about even a nuclear attack from vladimir putin. they are making these hard calls you ask a different question, how does this -- they do not understand it. they want the weapons to push

the russians out, they think they could make a commitment to president biden and the rest of -- fighter aircrafts, or long-range missiles inside russia, and they think they can make that commitment in a credible way, and could push the russians out. so that is the dilemma. on the one hand, the west, and president biden first and foremost wants to give enough, but not sugar escalation and on the other hand, president zelenskyy wants to win this war, and he believes the faster they can push the russians out, the faster they will end the war and fewer people will die. that is the logic he is trying to explain, i think first to president biden today, maybe to the american people tonight. >> mr., there has been some reporting and advance of the speech tonight, we haven't verified, we don't know if it is true, but it is being discussed that president zelenskyy might call tonight for some sort of peace summit, for some sort of talks towards ending the war. do you know anything about that?

could you imagine president zelenskyy making some kind of collect that this evening? >> yes. i would not be surprised, i don't know what's in his, speech but i know that they are thinking along the following terms. there is lots of discussion especially in europe and our country that, we have to pressure zelenskyy through piece, right, as if he is the problem by the way. we have to understand, why do we not focus on putin, but he feels that pressure. so he wants to answer, he wants to say either serious about peace negotiation on -- >> that is what got the round of applause there. as we see, here we are just coming up on 7:30, just now, we are expecting this to start right on time as members of president biden's cabinet and

to the room. the reason in part, not to get too technical about, this is the reason we expected to start on time, no offense, jen, even though everything else starts to start late, -- >> i don't work there anymore. >> i know, but it was, never mind. >> but the networks are taking, the broadcast networks are taking this speech tonight as a special, and that tends to impose a kind of discipline on the start time here. there's a very specific window that will be open during which the networks will take this, that will underscore the importance of, this i think it is important. >> you know when you are talking about winston churchill, the thing to remember here is the attempt to weaken the will of the british people with the blitz, the nightly bombing, right now it is 30 degrees in, kyiv it will only get colder, it is 2:30 in the morning and there are nightly and daily barrage of missiles on electrical plants in ukraine, causing people to be without power, the ukrainians have been through this in the 1930s, they've been through this in

the war, and they have been through it in 2022. this is really important, this is a lot of middle of his winston churchill moment, to be able to say my people will withstand this, you need help us as much as you can. our will not be broken, to the point, there is no interest in seeing any land an agreement with vladimir putin on the part of ukrainians who are hungry, who are separated from their wives because the men are staying, or mothers, or sisters. this is -- he is out here saying, we will not be broken, we will win, this will you be with us all the way? will you cross that finish line with us if it isn't six months, or six years? we are on the right side of history. >> i think that is exactly why he's here, as much as he's become this hero in the world, isn't a very difficult time in the ground. exactly the reasons you, said the temperatures are continuing to drop, the -- russians are targeting energy sources to meet, literally

freeze people in the country. he talked a little bit about that during a press conference, i expect he's going to pull some heartstrings here, through my people, through why this matters at this point of the country. >> he said today that russia is using winter as a weapon against ukraine, and as we have seen russia target energy infrastructure, over and over and over again, it is clearly the intended effect. it is something along the lines of the blitz, to hit the population in a way that creates incalculable mystery. hopefully breaks the will of that country. >> it did not work for, hitler and at the moment it does not appear to work for vladimir putin. >> no i think it is likely we will hear from president zelenskyy along these lines tonight. just looking at this life shot right now that we have in the room, it is interesting, we were told, we heard from the speaker's office here that there would be no guests allowed in the gallery, specifically for security reasons.

obviously this is a very high security environment for president zelenskyy, they did say there would be guests in the gallery who purely were guests of the president of ukraine. so this is effectively the ukrainian presidents, not necessarily his delegation, but people who are here at his delegation. members of congress themselves were not allowed to invite people to be in the gallery, which is why you are seeing this empty seats and the top mezzanine of the chamber. >> i think one more point to remind ourselves, when someone who's really considered one of the most effective communicators in all of western europe, if not perhaps all heads of state, we referred earlier now the times estimated because of his background as the tom hanks of ukraine, a film star, is celebrating comedian, but that also meant he had a certain residents in the culture. he does speak well, obviously, in english as many europeans do. but i think what we are bracing for here is a chance on the world stage, as the ambassador

was mentioning, to really use that skill set and to remind people of something that everyone gets tired of policy and another you and, speech another campaign speech, he has done good at, it and the show that really brought him the prominence in ukraine was -- famously satirized the country and the satire or message breaks through. >> and, yeah -- families who have lost children, the longer this war lasts, the longer this aggression last, there will be more parents who live for the sake of vengeance. his ability to articulate the

sorrow and anger felt by his people and such an effective way, and such a critical moment, we are four days ahead of congress trying to leave for the holiday break, people are thinking about family right now, and this is the war torn country that is plunged into darkness, and cold, at a moment where americans will be celebrating many of them, in warmth. so, it is a stark contrast, and i think that will make an emotional message all the more resonant. >> just watch your four second, i believe we are expecting a -- to announce president zelenskyy. you see these members coming back down the aisle, they may have seen them, these are the members announced as the escort committee for president zelenskyy, we heard speaker pelosi and vice president harris in her position as president of the senate make those announcements and so these members, these senators, they technically escorting the president here which i believe means that they will be followed by sergeant at arms

who will be announcing his presence in just a moment. again, as you are saying, alex, these members here, thinking about their final votes, thinking about getting home, thinking about getting to their families, but seeing this partisan crossover here, and chuck schumer, mitch mcconnell talking together, this is and will be intended to be a profoundly non partisan event in this house. he will be addressing the american people, and in the american government. he, if anybody can hopefully, obviate the differences between the two, parties it will be a man visiting an occasion like this for the reasons he is here. >> a lot of bright blue and

obviate the differences between the two, parties it will be a man visiting an occasion like this for the reasons he is here. >> a lot of bright blue and

>> thank you so much. [applause] >> thank you so much. [applause] [applause] [applause]

[applause] >> members -- [applause] members of congress. >> i think it is too much. >> i think so. members of congress, i have the high privileged and distinct honor of presenting to you is excellency volodymyr zelenskyy president of the ukraine. >> [applause] >> thank you. thank you so much. >> [applause] >> thank you so much. thank you. it is too much for me.

>> [laughter] >> all this for our great people -- thank you so much. dear americans, in our state, -- and communities -- all those who value freedom and justice, who cherish, i strongly as we ukrainians, in our cities in each and every family, i hope my words of respect and gratitude resonate in each american heart. madam vice president, i thank you for your efforts in helping ukraine. madam speaker, you bravely visited ukraine during the full fledged war. thank you very

much. it's a great honor. thank you. >> [applause] >> very privileged to be here -- dear members of the congress, representatives of both parties, who also visited kyiv, esteemed congressmen and senators from both parties, who we will visit ukraine, i'm sure, in the future -- the representatives of the diaspora -- >> [applause] >> -- president in this chamber and spread across the country, and journalists, it is a great honor for me to be at the u. s.

congress and to speak to you and all americans. against all odds and doom and gloom, -- ukraine did not fall. ukraine is alive and kicking. >> [applause] >> thank you. >> [applause] >> and it gives me good reason to share with you our first joint victory. we defeated russia in the battle for minds

of the world. >> [applause] >> we have no fear, nor should anyone in the world have it. ukrainians gained this victory. and it gives us courage, which inspires the entire world. americans gamed this victory. and that is why we have succeeded in uniting the global community to protect freedom and international law. europeans gained this victory. and that is why europe is now stronger and more independent than ever. the russian tyranny has lost control over us. >> [applause] >> and it will never influence our minds again. yet, we have

to do whatever it takes to ensure that countries of the global south also gain such victory. i know one more, i think, very important thing -- the russians will stand a chance to be free only when they defeat the kremlin in their minds. >> [applause] >> yet, the battle continues. and we have to defeat the kremlin on the battlefield, yes. these battles, not only for the territory for these and other part of europe -- the

battle is not only for life, freedom and security of ukrainians, or any other nation, which russia attempts to conquer -- this struggle will define in what world our children and the grandchildren will live, and then their children and the grandchildren. it will define whether it will be a democracy of ukrainians and for americans for all. this battle cannot be frozen or postponed. it cannot be ignored, hoping that the ocean or something else will provide a protection. from the united states to china, from europe to latin america, and from africa to australia, the world's two interconnected and interdependent to allow someone to stay -- and at the same time

to feel safe when such a battle continues. our two nations are at -- in this battle. and next year will be a turning point, i know it. the point when ukraine encourage and american resolve must guarantee the future of our common freedom, the freedom of people who stand for their values. >> [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen you -- ladies and gentlemen, americans, yesterday before coming here to washington d. c., i was at the frontline, in -- bakhmut. in our stronghold in eastern ukraine in the donbas -- the

russian military and senators -- have been taking bakhmut since may. they have been taking it day and night, but bakhmut stands. >> [applause] >> last year, 70,000 people lived in bakhmut, in the city, and now only a few city landscape -- every inch of that land is soaked in blood, roaring in gun sounds every hour. trenches in the donbas change hands several times a day, in fierce combat, and even hand fighting by but the ukrainian donbas stands. >> [applause] >> russians use everything -- everything -- they have against bakhmut and other team in our beautiful cities and they have

a significant advantage in artillery. they have an advantage in ammunition. they have much more missiles and planes than we ever had. and it is true. but our defense forces stand. >> [applause] >> and we all are proud of them. the russian --'s primitive. they burned down and destroy everything they see. they sent -- to the front lines. they send convicts to the war. they threw everything against us, similar to the other tyranny, which is in the battle of the bulge. through everything, again, the free world, just like the brave american soldiers which held their lines and fought back hitler's forces, during the christmas of 1944, brave ukrainian soldiers are doing the same to putin's forces this

christmas. >> [applause] >> ukraine holds its lines and will never surrender. >> [applause] >> so, here, at the front line, the tyranny, which has no lack of fruit cruelty, again belies a free people. and your support is crucial -- not just to stand in such fight -- but to get to the turning point, to win on the battlefield. we have artillery, yes, thank you. we have it. is it enough? honestly, not to really. >> [laughter] >> to ensure bakhmut is not just a stronghold that holds back the russian army -- but for the russian army to completely pull out more cannons and shells are needed.

it too is just like the battle for saratoga. the battle for bakhmut will change our trajectory, in our battle for independence and freedom -- if you are patriots stop the russian terror against our cities, it will let ukrainian patriots -- full -- to defend our freedom. >> [applause] >> when russia cannot reach our cities with its artillery, it tries to destroy them with missile attacks. more than that, russia found an ally in this genocidal policy, iran. iranian deadly drones sent to russia in hundreds -- and hundreds, they became a threat to what our critical infrastructure. that is how one terrorist has found the other. it is just a matter of time when they will strike

against your other allies. if we do not stop them now -- we must to do it. >> [applause] >> i believe there should be no taboo's between us and our alliance. -- ukraine never asked american soldiers to fight on our land instead of us. i assure you that ukrainian

soldiers can perfectly operate american tanks and planes themselves. >> [applause] >> -- financial assistance is also incredibly important. and i would like to thank you, thank you very much, thank you for both financial packages you have already provided us with and the ones you may be willing to decide on. your money is not surety. it's an investment in the global security and -- we

handle in the most responsible way. >> [applause] >> russia could stop its aggression, really, if it wanted to. but you can speed up our victory. i know it. >> [applause] >> and it will prove to any potential aggressor that no one can succeed in breaking national borders. no one committing atrocities and -- people again there will. it would be naive to wait for steps towards peace from russia, which enjoys being a terrorist state. russians are still

poisoned by the kremlin. the -- restoration of international legal order is our joint task. -- ukraine has already offered proposals which i just discussed with president biden, our peace formula. ten points which should and must be implemented for our joint security, guaranteed for decades ahead. and the summit, which can be held -- i'm glad to -- that president biden

supported our piece initiative today. each of you ladies and gentlemen can assist in the implementation, to ensure that americans leadership remains solid, bicameral and bipartisan. thank you. >> [applause] >> you can strengthen sanctions to make russia feel how -- its aggression truly is. it is in your power, really, to help us bring to justice every one who started this unprovoked and criminal war. let's do it. >> [applause] let terrorists -- [applause] let the terrorists terrorist -- state be held

responsible for its -- let the world see that the united are here. ladies and gentlemen, americans, in two days we will celebrate christmas. maybe candlelit. not because it is more romantic, no. but because there will be no electricity. millions won't have neither heating, nor running water. all of these will be the result of russian missile and drone attacks on our energy infrastructure. but we do not complain. we do not judge and compare whose life is easier. your well-being is the product of your national security, the result of your struggle for

independents and your many victories. we, ukrainians, will also go through our war of independence and freedom with dignity and success. >> [applause] >> we will celebrate christmas. celebrate christmas -- and even if there is no electricity, delight for our faith in ourselves will not be -- if russian missiles attack us, we will do our best to protect ourselves. if they attack us with iranian drones, then our people will have to go to bomb

shelters on christmas eve, ukrainians will still sit down at the holy table and tear up each other. and we don't have to know everyone's wish. we know that all of us, millions of ukrainians, wish the same -- victory. only victory. >> [applause] >> we already built strong ukraine with strong people, strong army, strong institutions, together with you. we develop strong security guarantees for our country and for entirely europe in the world together with you. and also together with you, we we will put in place everyone who will defy freedom. put in. >> [laughter]

>> this will be the basis to protect democracy in europe in the world over. now, this special christmas time, i want to thank you, all of you. i think every american family which cherishes the warmth of its home and wish is the same warmth to other people. i think president biden and both parties of the senate and the house, for your of invaluable assistance and i thank your cities and your citizens, who supported ukraine this year, who hosted our ukrainians, our people, who waved our national flags, who acted to help us. thank you all, from everyone who is now at the frontline, from everyone who is evading victory. standing