Volodymyr Zelensky vowed there will "be no third world war" in a surprise appearance at the Golden Globe Awards on Tuesday (10.01.23).
The Ukrainian president appeared in a pre-recorded video clip introduced by Sean Penn - who filmed a documentary about Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year - and offered a message of hope that "the tide is turning".
The former actor said: "The [Golden Globe Awards were] borne at a special time.
"The second World War wasn't over yet, but the tide was turned [and] all knew who would win. There were still battles and tears ahead. It was then when the Golden Globe Awards appeared to honour the best performers of 1943.
"It is now 2023; the war in Ukraine is not over yet, but the tide is turning. And it is already clear who will win."
Though the 44-year-old politician acknowledged "there are still battles and tears ahead," he vowed to "stop the Russian aggression".
He continued: "I can definitely tell you who were the best in the previous year: It was you, the free people of the free world.
"Those who united around the support of the free Ukrainian people in our common struggle for freedom, democracy. For the right to live, to love, to give birth, no matter who you are, no matter where you are from, no matter who you are with. The struggle for the right of the new generations to know about the war only from movies.
"The first World War claimed millions of lives; the second World War claimed tens of millions of them. There will be no third world war; it is not a trilogy. Ukraine will stop the Russian aggression on our land.
"We will make it together with a whole, free world, and I hope that all of you will be with us on the victorious day — the day of our victory. Slava Ukraini."
