Paris, June 29 — At the Free Iran 2024 World Summit in Paris, Ukrainian MP and leader of the political party Golos, Kira Rudik, underscored the vital importance of unity in the fight for freedom. Addressing the distinguished guests and President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran Maryam Rajavi, Rudik emphasized the shared struggle for a better future faced by nations under oppressive regimes.
MP Rudik expressed her gratitude to the supporters in Berlin and those waving the Ukrainian flag, highlighting the solidarity between the Ukrainian and Iranian people in their fight against tyranny. She recounted the brutal impact of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, drawing parallels to the Iranian regime’s support for Russia through the provision of drones used to devastate Ukrainian infrastructure and lives.
Reflecting on her visit to Ashraf 3 and the wisdom shared by Mrs. Rajavi, Rudik emphasized the need for resilience and the sustained effort required to overcome authoritarian regimes. She shared a personal story of survival during a missile attack on Kyiv, illustrating the unyielding spirit of the Ukrainian people and their determination to continue the fight for freedom.
The Ukrainian leader highlighted the essential role of global unity and support in achieving victory, acknowledging the contributions of governments and politicians who stand with Ukraine. She called for continued solidarity, recognizing that the success of democratic movements worldwide is interconnected.
The full text of Kira Rudik’s speech follows:
Hello everyone, dear friends, dear people of Iran, distinguished guests, Mrs. Rajavi.
I also want to give warm thanks to the people in Berlin, at the rally, and especially warm thanks to the ones who were carrying the Ukrainian flag. It makes my heart so warm when we see this, and we also see how important it is to unite under a fight, how important it is to fight for your freedom. And this is what we see in so many nations throughout the world, how we are coming together because we are fighting for the same thing, for the best future for our nations.
Today is the day 857 since the full-scale invasion started, and more than 10 years since Russia attacked us for the first time. By this time, they have committed all kinds of war crimes. They have almost destroyed our energy infrastructure, trying to bring darkness into our country. They have killed so many of our people, both at the front and peacefully sleeping in their homes.
Pleased to deliver a speech on the importance of holistic approach to resisting tyrannical regimes. Thank you@Maryam_Rajavi for gathering so many politicians to make our voice heard 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/x2JcBwGY0M
— Kira Rudik (@kiraincongress) June 30, 2024
But there is one thing that they couldn’t do. They couldn’t bring the darkness into our hearts, and they absolutely cannot break our spirits. We are talking about how authoritarian regimes unite. Well, we are the living witnesses of that, because just in the last year alone, the Iranian regime has sent thousands of Iranian drones to Russia that then have been sent to Ukraine, killing and destroying everything on their path.
So, if our own victory is of immense importance for Ukrainians, then your victory is also so important for us, because it literally means that we will be able to survive, and we will be able to win this fight.
I remember how two years ago, I first went to Ashraf 3, and I met Mrs. Rajavi. And I remember all the wise things that she told me, and there was one very important point amongst them. It was a point about how the wars usually take much longer than one would anticipate, and how you have to build the resilience of your people, because it is very hard, year after year. And I was thinking about it a lot, because this is something that we experience right now when the whole world is asking us, do you still want to fight? Do you still have it in yourselves to continue fighting?
And to answer this, I want to share a very personal story with you. On January 2nd this year, I was at home, and there was an attack on Kyiv, a missile attack. And the missile hit at 7 a.m. right near the home where I live. I was at home, and I witnessed how the windows were pulled out of their frames, and thrown into the middle of the room. The glass was everywhere, the same as the dark fog. It was my personal Armageddon.
I remember how we were running around with our neighbors, trying to check out who was alive, trying to help each other, taking care of each other’s kids, and just figuring out how we survived. And then just one hit, five people were killed, more than 200 families lost their homes, and one huge residential building of nine stories and six entrances was burned to the shell.
It was just one missile. It was one of the most dramatic experiences of my life. But at that moment, I also witnessed something. I witnessed how people are coming together. You know how in winter birds are coming together on the tree, getting very close to each other to survive, to go through it. And after that, after seeing how people were helping, supporting, cleaning the glass out of each other’s apartments, and figuring out where to live, I can tell you a couple of things.
First, when I’m asked how I know that Putin doesn’t want peace, well, I have proof of that, physical proof that is seven bags of shattered glass out of my home that I have gathered. But there is a second thing that I know for sure.
We, the Ukrainian people, still have it in ourselves. We still have it in us, not only to keep fighting but also to win the war. And we know that we can do it. And we know that we can do it only, only if democracy wins in all the other places in the world, we are a living example of how unity helps you to go through all the darkest times of your history and have the hope of winning in the most devastating pieces and pages of your life.
You know, we have seen so many terrifying things and witnessed things that for sure can break people. For me, all the things that I have heard and listened to from Mrs. Rajavi have been such an amazing inspiration, not only to continue the fight but also to continue motivating our people and to continue standing together.
Today, I want to thank each and every one of you who mentioned Ukraine in their speeches. I want to thank each and every one of your governments and politicians who are supporting us, who are standing with us, who are sending weapons our way. We know this. We appreciate this.
And we know that if we push harder, we can win this war and we will win this war. Thank you so much.
Glory to Ukraine and glory to the free Iran. Thank you.