In an emotional Christmas message, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the nation on Christmas Eve, combining tradition with harsh political and military realities. Referring to a popular belief that on this particular night «the heavens open» and people make a single wish, he did not hesitate to bluntly express the thought that, as he said, permeates many Ukrainians.
«Let him die,“ each of us may think, he said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin, but adding that when Ukrainians turn to God, they ask for something greater and more meaningful: peace.
Merry Christmas! pic.twitter.com/okj9Yr1bFe
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy (@ZelenskyyUa) December 24, 2025
«We ask for peace for Ukraine. We are fighting for it. We pray for it. And we deserve it,’ he emphasized, stressing that the vision is a country where every family lives in harmony and every child grows up with smiles, gifts, and faith in goodness and miracles.
Zelensky did not fail to denounce the Russian attacks on Christmas Eve, referring to massive bombings, Shahed drones, ballistic missiles, and Kinzhal attacks. «This is how atheists strike. This is how those who have no connection to Christianity or anything human act,» he said.
Despite the harsh reality of war, his message ended with a call for resilience and solidarity. The Ukrainian president said that the country continues to stand tall, praying for those on the front lines, for prisoners to return home, and honoring the memory of the fallen.
«Let peace prevail. Let us prevail. And let Ukraine prevail,» he concluded, sending a message of hope in the midst of yet another winter of war.
