‘Evil must always, always lose,’ Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says during Utah visit
Jul 12, 2024, 7:05 PM | Updated: Jul 15, 2024, 8:41 am
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gestures to the crowd as he’s introduced during the National Governors Association’s 2024 Summer Meeting held at The Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 12, 2024. (Isaac Hale/Deseret News)
(Isaac Hale/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for continued support for Ukraine during a visit to Salt Lake City Friday, thanking Utahns for their solidarity and support of the Ukrainian people.
Hundreds of attendees at the National Governors Association summer meetings greeted the foreign leader with a standing ovation, some with tears in their eyes as he visited Utah for the first time as Ukraine continues an ongoing fight against Russia’s incursion.
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“Today I especially want to personally thank you for your support, the state of Utah … all of those who do not want and will not allow evil to prevail,” Zelenskyy said, addressing the crowd in his signature olive green T-shirt.
He blamed “criminal actions” by Russia for the deadly conflict in Ukraine and said the fight against aggression is a fight to “save our freedom, and thus, the common human understanding that evil must always, always lose.”
“We do not ask for your boots on the ground. The only thing we ask for is sufficient support,” he said.
The president was introduced by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, whose voice broke as he spoke of Ukraine’s fight for freedom.
“There is a lot of nuance in the world. … Sometimes it’s hard to tell who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. This is not one of those times,” Cox said. “There is evil in this world and there is good in this world, and we have to be on the side of good or we stand for nothing.”
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