Charlemagne Prize
Scholz: Europe owes a lot to Selenskyj
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj shakes hands with Chancellor Olaf Scholz after his speech at the Charlemagne Prize ceremony. photo
© Ina Fassbender/Pool AFP/dpa
Selenskyj accepts the Charlemagne Prize in Aachen – and is honored with much praise. The Chancellor also recalled particularly powerful words by the Ukrainian President.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described receiving the Charlemagne Prize as a “great honor”. He stands here for the Ukrainians who fight every day for their freedom and for the values of Europe, said Selenskyj on Sunday in his word of thanks at the presentation of the Charlemagne Prize in the Coronation Hall of Aachen City Hall.
“Each of them would deserve to be here.” Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine wanted nothing more than peace – but this could only be won in the current conflict with a victory. The war in Ukraine will also decide the fate of Europe, because Russia wants to undo the history of European unification. Russia is “capable of any cruelty and meanness”.
Selenskyj calls Scholz a “defender of Europe”
Selenskyj praised Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his security policy U-turn. “When you saw the turning point, you started to act as a defender of Europe should act,” he said. “Europe will always be grateful to you and this German government.”
Scholz had previously thanked Selenskyj and his people for defending common European values. In his laudatory speech, the SPD politician recalled how Zelenskyi used powerful words to reinforce the resistance on the morning of the Russian attack. “The President is here. We are all here,” Scholz quoted in Ukrainian from Selenskyj’s first video message and stated: “Rarely in history have such brief words had such a big impact.”
Scholz to Ukrainians: “History will continue together”
It was immediately clear that the Ukrainian people would not yield to Russia’s violence, but would resist. “Europe owes a lot to the Ukrainian people and personally to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” said Scholz. The war shows for Ukraine and for the European Union: “We stand together! We belong together! And: Our history will continue together.”
Scholz described the award as a prelude to further growing together in Europe. In his laudatory speech, he also named the states of the Western Balkans, Moldova, “and in the long term Georgia,” in addition to Ukraine.
“If Vladimir Putin believed that he could use force to divert the Ukrainian nation from its path to Europe, then he – with all his tanks, drones and rocket launchers – did nothing but the opposite,” said Scholz.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen paid tribute to Selenskyj and the Ukrainian people. “They are literally fighting for freedom, humanity and peace,” she said. With their blood and their lives, they secured the future of their children and ours, said the top German politician. Zelenskyj has the unconditional belief that those who fight for something are always stronger than those who want to impose their yoke on others.
Morawiecki: Selenskyj defends Europe’s values
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Zelenskyi was “a great European leader”, a “hero” and an outstanding statesman of the 21st century. “President Zelenskyj is a role model for every politician.” Russia’s “barbaric attacks”, on the other hand, are the antithesis to the free Europe that is being defended by Ukraine. He praised Zelenskyy as a defender of European values.
The ceremony in the coronation hall of the Aachen town hall began about an hour late. For a long time it was unclear whether Selenskyj would personally come to Aachen for this. But then in the afternoon he entered the medieval hall where the guests were already waiting – together with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) he had previously flown from Berlin to North Rhine-Westphalia. Upon entering the hall, Zelenskyi received a standing ovation.
The president of the country, which is defending itself against Russia’s war of aggression, is considered to be very endangered. The ceremony in Aachen City Hall was accompanied by extremely strict security requirements.
Prize also for the Ukrainian people
Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people received the Charlemagne Prize for their services to Europe. The reason given was that the Ukrainian people under Zelenskyy’s leadership not only defended the sovereignty of their country and the lives of its citizens, “but also Europe and European values”.
The speakers in the Coronation Hall of Aachen City Hall were Chancellor Scholz, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. 700 guests were invited. The Charlemagne Prize commemorates Charlemagne (748-814). Aachen was his main residence.