Привіт всім! Welcome all!
My name is Peter Bongiorni, and it is my honour to stand before you today as the President of the Ukrainian Community of Queensland.
I would like to begin by acknowledging the Jagera and Turrbal people, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we gather today. I pay my respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging, and extend that respect to any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today.
Today, we gather to mark three years of Ukraine’s unbreakable resistance against Russia’s full-scale invasion. We honour the victims of this brutal, unprovoked war and stand in awe of the courage and resilience of the Ukrainian people.
Thank you all for being here today – to stand, to remember, and to fight for Ukraine.
We are honoured to have with us several distinguished guests:
- Mr Hermann Vorster MP, Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs and International Student Attraction, representing the Premier of Queensland, the Hon David Crisafulli MP
- Cr. Fiona Cunningham, Deputy Mayor of Brisbane, Civic Cabinet Chair for Finance and City Governance, and Councillor for Coorparoo, representing the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Adrian Schrinner.
- Senator Paul Scarr, Shadow Assistant Minister for Multicultural Engagement and Senator for Queensland, representing the Federal Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Peter Dutton MP.
- Hon. Cameron Dick MP, Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Shadow Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Planning and Regional Development, and Member for Woodridge.
- Joe Kelly MP, Assistant Shadow Minister for Health and Member for Greenslopes.
- Dr. Theresa Lauf, Honorary Consul for the Republic of Poland in Queensland.
- Claudia Lüttringhaus, Head of Consular Service at the Consulate of Federal Republic of Germany in Brisbane
- Mick Ryan AM, Retired Major General, Australian Army.
Once again, we are heartened by the bipartisan support of our elected officials. The cause of a free and independent Ukraine is not political – it is a moral imperative. We are profoundly grateful for Queensland and Australia’s unwavering commitment.
I also acknowledge the leaders and members of various multicultural communities present today, including those from the Polish, German, Lithuanian, Latvian, Iranian, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, and African communities, among others. Your solidarity reinforces the universal commitment to justice and freedom.
As we reflect on the past three years of Russia’s full-scale invasion, and indeed the past 11 years since the illegal occupation and annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas, one undeniable truth remains – Ukraine stands unbroken.
For over a decade, Ukraine has defended more than just its borders. It has defended the principles that unite all free nations – freedom, sovereignty, and democracy. Despite relentless attacks, war crimes, and Putin’s efforts to erase Ukraine’s identity, Ukraine stands. Ukraine will never fall.
But even as Ukraine fights a brutal war on the battlefield, it is forced to fight another war – the war on truth.
Lies, manipulation, and Kremlin-backed propaganda are being deliberately weaponised to erode international support, sow doubt, and weaken Ukraine’s resistance. These falsehoods are not just coming from Russia – they are being repeated by world leaders who should be standing for democracy, not aiding Putin’s agenda.
One of the most reckless and dangerous examples comes from U.S. President Donald Trump, who this week has shamelessly echoed Kremlin lies – twisting reality, discrediting Ukraine, and undermining the global effort to stop Putin’s war machine.
So, for anyone who needs to hear the facts – let’s set the record straight on two of the biggest lies that we’ve heard on repeat this week:
Lie #1: “Ukraine started this war.”
Let’s be clear – Ukraine did NOT start this war. Russia did.
- In February 2014, Russian troops invaded Crimea without provocation, took control, and illegally annexed it. The world condemned it.
- For eight years, Russia waged a brutal war in eastern Ukraine, arming separatists, launching hybrid warfare, and systematically destabilising the region.
- Then, on February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion, aiming to obliterate Ukraine as an independent state.
This war is not a “conflict.”. It is not a “special military operation”. It is an invasion. It is an attempted genocide. Ukraine is not fighting to take anything – it is fighting to survive.
Lie #2: “Zelenskyy is a dictator without elections.”
This is not just a lie – it is an insult to every Ukrainian who has fought and died defending democracy.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was democratically elected in 2019 in a landslide victory, securing over 73% of the vote – a mandate Trump himself could only dream of.
- Under Ukraine’s Constitution, national elections cannot be held during martial law. This is not Zelenskyy’s decision – it is Ukrainian law, designed to protect democracy in wartime.
- The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s Parliament, including opposition parties, has repeatedly voted to extend martial law. Even Zelenskyy’s main political rivals have publicly stated that elections during war would be impossible and illegitimate.
- Let’s not forget – the UK suspended elections during World War II. Ukraine is doing what any responsible democracy would do in wartime.
Zelenskyy is not a “dictator.” He is the leader of a free nation under attack, fighting to ensure that Ukraine remains a democracy long after this war is won.
These are not simply misstatements or misunderstandings – they are outright lies and dangerous propaganda that serve the interests of the Kremlin. We cannot allow these distortions to go unchallenged. We must call them what they are and continue to fight against disinformation that undermines Ukraine’s cause.
And let’s be honest for a moment – if there’s one country that should keep quiet about democratic elections, it’s Russia. They wouldn’t know a fair election if it fell out of a window. After all, they’ve had the same one-man dictatorship for over 25 years, and it’s remarkable how every serious political opponent seems to meet a tragic and entirely coincidental accident – usually involving a window and gravity.
And yet, this is the regime that dares to call Ukraine’s leadership illegitimate. This is the same Kremlin machine that manufactures lie after lie – not just to justify its war but to manipulate global perception, weaken support for Ukraine, and create false equivalencies between a true democracy fighting for survival and a dictatorship that silences all opposition, often permanently.
This war is not just fought with tanks and missiles – it is fought with disinformation and lies. Russia doesn’t just seek to destroy Ukraine physically; it seeks to poison the truth, rewriting reality to suit its imperial ambitions. We cannot allow these falsehoods to go unchallenged. We must push back, speak the truth, and ensure that the world sees Russia’s lies for exactly what they are.
This is why our role, as the Ukrainian diaspora and as supporters of Ukraine worldwide, is more critical than ever. We must continue to advocate, to educate, and to pressure our governments to sustain and amplify their support for Ukraine. Our collective voice is a powerful tool against these falsehoods and against the complacency that threatens to weaken global support.
To our esteemed political leaders present today, I urge you to engage with your counterparts at every level of government. Explore all avenues to provide Ukraine with the necessary military and humanitarian assistance. The fight for Ukraine’s freedom is a fight for the principles that underpin all free societies.
While we stand here today, united in solidarity with Ukraine, we must also be clear about one thing: this war must end – and it must end this year.
Ukraine has suffered enough. The people of Ukraine have endured three years of relentless attacks, forced displacement, and war crimes committed against civilians. Millions have been forced from their homes. Thousands have lost their lives. Families have been shattered. Cities have been turned to rubble.
Ukraine needs peace – but not just any peace. It needs a just peace. A lasting peace.
There will be no lasting peace if Ukraine’s voice is ignored. Any peace talks, any negotiations, any discussions about Ukraine’s future must include Ukraine. No backroom deals. No arrangements that exploit Ukraine for its resources or force it into a position of weakness.
Ukraine cannot be used as a bargaining chip. Ukraine cannot be sacrificed for geopolitical convenience.
For peace to be real, for peace to be just, it must include ironclad security guarantees – guarantees that ensure Russia can never do this again. No ceasefire agreement without consequences. No empty promises. No meaningless signatures from the Kremlin that are broken the moment they are signed.
Because let’s be honest: Russia does not want peace. Russia wants Ukraine to cease to exist.
If Russia truly wanted peace, they could have it right now. This very moment.
- They could withdraw their troops.
- They could return all occupied Ukrainian land, including Crimea and Donbas.
- They could stop launching missiles at Ukrainian cities.
This war would end immediately if Russia chose to leave. They started it. They can end it.
But the reality is, they don’t want peace. They want domination. They want control. They want to wipe Ukraine from the map, just as they tried to do during the Holodomor, just as they tried to do under Soviet rule, and just as Putin tries to do today.
This is not about security for Russia. It has never been about NATO. It has never been about “denazification.” It is about imperialism. It is about genocide. It is about a dictator who believes he has the right to decide whether Ukrainians should exist.
That is why we must not just support Ukraine – we must ensure Ukraine wins.
A ceasefire without justice is not peace. A temporary halt to fighting that allows Russia to regroup and attack again in five years is not peace. Real peace means Ukrainian victory.
So let us be clear:
- No compromises on Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
- No forced deals that strip Ukraine of its resources.
- No false “peace talks” designed to benefit Russia while leaving Ukraine vulnerable.
- No empty security agreements that allow Russia to invade again in the future.
If the world truly wants peace, then it must give Ukraine the weapons, the aid, and the support needed to achieve it.
This war ends when Ukraine wins. It ends when Ukraine’s borders are restored. It ends when Russia is held accountable for its crimes.
Until then, we will not stop. We will not be silent. We will never let Ukraine stand alone.
Ukraine’s fight is not over, and neither is ours. But as long as we stand together, as long as we refuse to be silent, Ukraine will never stand alone.
Thank you for your steadfast support.
Слава Україні! (Героям Слава!) x 3