It so happened, that our generation has a great responsibility to defend the right to have our own independent state, against which an act of external aggression is committed.
Our enemy will not miss a chance to take advantage of our internal struggle.
As the President, I called on the Members of Parliament and the Cabinet of Ministers with a clear demand: in the conditions of external aggression we must stay united.
I told the people’s deputies: "You have the option to vote either "against" or "for" the President or the Government. But you always have to vote "for" Ukraine".
Over the past three days I had many meetings with the leaders of factions and groups, representatives of individual people’s deputies, executives of the Cabinet of Ministers.
The decisions I have come to, and which I addressed to all - we must speak the language of compromise, not the language of ultimatums. The emotions should not overtake the sense.
To act contrary means to open a second front against Ukraine.
The laws being promoted by Government are unpopular and difficult, but they are vital. Today the decisions of Parliament are necessary not only to finance the army, although this is the priority issue. The decisions of Parliament are necessary to ensure the running of state economy as a whole, so that people might feel confident and protected.
I insist that the functioning of Verkhovna Rada should not be paralyzed.
We need consolidation, not confrontation.