What our MPs made of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky's address to the Commons - The Worcester Observer

What our MPs made of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky's address to the Commons

Worcester Editorial 18th Mar, 2022   0

THE HISTORIC address of the House of Commons by Volodymyr Zelensky has been hailed by south Worcestershire’s MPs.

Worcester’s MP Robin Walker, West Worcestershire’s Harriett Baldwin and Mid Worcestershire’s Nigel Huddleston all spoke to the Observer to reflect on the Ukranian President’s act of defiance from his war-ravaged country.’.

Mr Zelensky was given a standing ovation by MPs both before and after his speech in which he compared Ukraine’s fight against Russia to Britain’s Second World War struggle against Nazi Germany.

Drawing on Churchill’s iconic ‘we shall fight them on the beaches’ wartime address in June 1940, he said Ukrainians will fight against Moscow’s forces on land, sea and in the air.




Mr Zelenskyy said: ‘We will not give up and we will not lose. We will fight to the end, at sea, in the air, we will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost.

‘We will fight in the forests, in the fields, on the shores, in the streets.’


He said Ukraine was fighting a ‘war that we didn’t start and we didn’t want’ as he told MPs ‘we do not want to lose what we have, what is ours’.

In response, Mr Walker told the Observer: “President Zelenskyy’s address to the House of Commons was a historic first and I listened closely to what he had to say.

“We were crammed in to the chamber and I ended up seated on the stairs (pictured) as colleagues came together to show their support to the man who has demonstrated unparalleled courage and leadership.

“The Ukrainian president thanked Britain and our allies for the support we have given them so far and it is vital that we continue to do so. It is also important to note that people in Worcester have been contacting me asking what we can do to help provide Ukrainian citizens with sanctuary here. I was glad to see the Home Office announce that Ukrainian passport holders will be able to come to the UK without having to visit a Visa Application Centre or conduct biometric data checks. This is a change in policy I have been hoping would come forward and I will be glad to help facilitate anyone seeking a safe place to live in our amazing city.

“We are also now offering financial support to British families who offer places for Ukrainian families to stay. This is the kind of practical support that will ensure communities like Worcester have the support they need to ensure people who have been forced out of their homes can find a safe place to live.

“Hearing President Zelenskyy address the House of Commons, as the first foreign leader to do so, was perhaps one of the most memorable moments in my time as an MP and I sincerely hope we are able to welcome him to Parliament in person one day in the future,” Mr Walker added.

Mrs Baldwin said: “The whole of Parliament is resolute in its support for the Ukrainian people and I felt a historic atmosphere in the chamber of the House of Commons when President Zelenskyy made his unprecedented address to Parliamentarians.

“This is a terrible conflict and I’m proud to stand in support of our friend and ally in the face of the Russian President’s evil and illegal invasion.

“Our Government is acting swiftly to help both the Ukrainian army and the people fleeing from conflict and I hope and pray that the global communities reaction to this crisis persuades Putin to withdraw his troops immediately,” she added.

“It was an honour to be in the packed chamber of the House of Commons, as we listened to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s address,” Mr Huddleston said.

“As the Prime Minister said at the time, never before in all our centuries of parliamentary democracy has the House listened to such an address.

“It was a powerful and moving speech, and our government is determined to continue supporting our Ukrainian friends with the weapons they need to defend their homeland,” he added.

 

Online Editions

Catch up on your local news by reading our e-editions on the Worcester Observer.

Public Notices

View and download all of the public notices in the Worcester Observer.

Announcements

Weddings, Birthdays, Bereavements, Thank you notices, Marriages and more.

Buy Photos

Buy photos online from the Worcester Observer newspaper.