Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky will address Parliament on Friday, April 8 at 1 p.m.
According to the Speaker of Parliament, Zelensky’s speech to the legislators was at Finland’s request. Matti Vanhanen.
"We informed Ukraine two or three weeks ago that we were ready to give the President the opportunity to speak here." Vanhanen explained and added that there has been interest in such a request from many parliamentary parties.
Vanhanen said that MPs expect to receive information about the war in Ukraine directly from the President of Ukraine.
"It is important that we receive direct and immediate information. At the same time, of course, we are showing that we are following the events in Ukraine – and Russia’s actions there – very closely." The old man said.
A “historic” moment
He said Zelensky’s speech would be historic.
"Yes, it can be described as historic. The Chamber of Parliament is very rarely used for such an occasion. It is quite rare for foreign authorities to speak here." The old man said.
He added that he does not believe Zelensky is a general copy of similar speeches he has given to other lawmakers around the world.
"In his previous speeches, there have been country-specific topics in one way or another. Those speeches were not copies," Vanhanen said and added that he was curious, which is Zelensky’s message to Finland and the country’s parliamentarians.
The speech will be transmitted via a video link and is expected to take approximately 15 minutes. Zelensky speaks Ukrainian, and MPs are offered simultaneous interpretation into English.
The address will be broadcast live on TV1 and streamed on Yle Areena.
Zelensky has previously spoken in several parliaments around the world, including Sweden on March 24th. At the time, the President of Ukraine said Russia was a threat to the whole world and thanked the country for the help it had provided to Ukraine.
Source: The Nordic Page