À l’occasion du 35e anniversaire de l’indépendance de l’Ukraine, j’ai eu l’honneur de prendre la parole à Bruxelles aux côtés de la communauté ukrainienne.
Depuis l’invasion russe, le peuple ukrainien défend bien plus que son territoire : il défend sa liberté, sa souveraineté et le droit de choisir son avenir.
Bruxelles et la Belgique ont accueilli des milliers d’Ukrainiens qui font aujourd’hui pleinement partie de notre société.
Notre solidarité doit rester entière : la paix ne peut signifier la capitulation, ni récompenser l’agresseur.
L’Ukraine appartient à notre histoire, à notre sécurité et à notre avenir européen. Nous resterons à ses côtés.
Retrouvez ci-dessous l’intégralité de mon discours.
Discours intégral
Дорогі українські друзі!
Я дуже радий бути сьогодні з вами.
Dear friends of Ukraine,
Dear people of Brussels,
When a free country celebrates its independence in peace, it is a celebration.
When it celebrates its independence while under attack, it is an act of resistance.
Today, we defend a simple principle:
No country has the right to take away the freedom of another country.
And we will never accept that force can become stronger than law.
Thirty-five years ago, the Ukrainian people chose independence. They chose freedom. And they chose the right to decide their own future.
For twelve years, Russia has tried to take that freedom away. First in Crimea and the Donbas. Then, in February 2022, with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
This war has destroyed cities. It has separated families. But it has not broken the Ukrainian people.
It has not broken your courage. And it will never break your desire to be free.
Few people know that Belgium and Ukraine already shared a strong history more than a century ago.
Belgian companies, engineers and workers played an important role in the industrial development of the Donbas. Their presence was so strong that the region was even called “Belgium’s tenth province.”
So our common history did not begin in 2022. Belgium and Ukraine have been connected for generations.
Since 2022, more than 100,000 Ukrainians have found protection in Belgium. Around 70,000 are still living here today.
But behind these numbers are people, families and personal stories.
You have become our colleagues, our neighbours and our friends. You have brought your skills, your energy, your culture and your traditions to Brussels.
You are now part of our city.
And, for some of us, part of our lives and our hearts.
One of my close friends will marry a Ukrainian woman next year. She arrived in Belgium four years ago, looking for safety. She found friends, a new life — and love.
This is also the story between Ukraine and Belgium: a story born from tragedy, but still able to create happiness.
As President of the Social Welfare Centre of the City of Brussels, I meet Ukrainians who are rebuilding their lives here.
Our responsibility is not only to offer protection. It is also to help people work, learn, become independent and choose their own future again.
Because real solidarity means helping people take control of their lives again.
Today, I honour the courage of those rebuilding their lives here. I honour those who continue to work, study and raise their children in Ukraine. And I honour those fighting to protect their country, their freedom and their families.
They are defending a principle that protects us all: every European country must be free to choose its own future.
We all want peace.
But peace cannot mean surrender.
Peace cannot reward the aggressor.
And peace cannot be forced upon the victim.
Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.
Nothing about Europe without Europe.
One day, Ukrainian cities will be rebuilt. Families will be together again. And those who wish to return home will be able to do so without fear.
Europe must stand with Ukraine today — and on that day. Because Ukraine is part of our history, our security and our European future.
Brussels is proud to have welcomed you.
Brussels is proud to count you among its people.
And Brussels will stand with Ukraine — for its freedom, for a just peace and for its European future.
Long live a free Ukraine!
Long live the friendship between Ukraine, Belgium and Brussels!
Дякую! Слава Україні!
David Weytsman
Président du MR Bruxelles & Périphérie
Président du CPAS de la Ville de Bruxelles