Russia could ´do the same´ to Finland: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday warned the Finnish lawmakers that if the Russian army is prdered, they can do the same to Finland what happened in Bucha.

“And I'm sure you realize that if the Russian army is ordered to invade your land, they will do the same to your country. I do not wish you this. They will do what happened in Bucha to your cities,” Zelenskyy said while addressing the Finnish lawmakers remotely in the Plenary Hal.

Pointing out the carnage by Russian military in Bucha he said that they still make such Buchas every day - from Kramatorsk to Mariupol, from Kharkiv to Kherson, according to the speech published by Ukrainian President Office .

“Russia's war against Ukraine is now deciding not only the fate of our state. Not only the fate of our people. But the fate of all those who have a common border with Russia,” he said.

Zelenskyy started his speech by talking about Russian strike on railway station in Kramatorsk where dozens of Ukrainians waiting for evacuation died and hundreds were injured, said a press release issued by the Finnish parliament.

On Zelenskyy's request, Parliament held a short moment of silence in the memory of the victims of Russian invasion.

Zelenskyy described the brutality of Russian forces on civilian population and reminded Finland of her experience with Russian aggression. You do not want to witness it again, Zelenskyy said.

He appealed to the MPs for strong sanctions on Russia. Ukraine also needs more armament to counter Russian military capabilities.

Zelenskyy thanked Finland for her swift assistance to Ukraine and moral leadership against the war.

Speaker of Parliament Matti Vanhanen gave a short welcoming address in which he reminded of the immense devastation and humanitarian suffering caused by Russia's invasion in Ukraine.

Vanhanen said that Zelenskyy's leadership and Ukrainians' bravery, resilience and will to defend the nation deserve our utmost respect and support.

Vanhanen said that Ukraine is not only fighting for their country, but for us all. Thus, Finland has, in addition to humanitarian and financial aid, for the first time in our history submitted military assistance to a country at war.

“Because Ukraine's cause is ours and because your cause is just. As our Prime Minister recently stated, the question is not about if Ukraine wins, but when Ukraine wins."

Zelenskyy thanked Finland for extending cooperation from the very beginning stage of the Russian attack and expressed his gratefulness to Finnish government and the people.

“I am sincerely grateful to Finland for not delaying when this invasion by the Russian Federation began. For coming to our aid immediately. For the fact that you made a historic decision to provide Ukraine with defense support. For being principled in sanctions matters. For being one of the moral leaders of our anti-war coalition,” he said.

President Sauli Niinistö and Federal President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Ambassador of Ukraine Olga Dibrova and the President of the National Council of Switzerland Irène Kälin followed the video speech by Zelenskyy in Parliament together with many ambassadors accredited to Finland.