We are working to bring all our people home from Russian captivity, we hope for good news - the President's address

I wish you good health, dear Ukrainian men and women! Briefly about this day. Conducted the Stavka - questions on the front, on ensuring Ukrainian active actions, our defense. I thank every Ukrainian soldier who really provides Ukraine with a strong position. Our positions at the front, our defense production, our ability to disrupt Russian plans are our strength in relations with key partners, and our diplomacy is what gives partners faith in Ukraine.

There were relevant instructions to the Minister of Defense and the military command at the Stavka. I also spoke with Rustem Umyerov today - regarding his communication with the American side. We continue to communicate with America virtually on a daily basis. Currently, due to the situation around Iran, there are still no necessary signals for a tripartite meeting.

But as soon as the security situation and the general political context allow to continue exactly that tripartite diplomatic work, it will be done. Ukraine is ready for this. I am grateful to the intelligence, the Office, all the services involved for taking steps to make further exchanges of prisoners possible. We are working to bring all our people home from Russian captivity. We hope for good news.

These days we are very actively talking with representatives of the countries of the Middle East and the Gulf region, and it is clear what their main request is to Ukraine. Anyone who has faced strikes from Iran has an extraordinary challenge -- "martyrs" who are difficult to bring down without the appropriate expertise and adequate weapons. In just a couple of days of active strikes, the Iranians launched more than 800 missiles and more than 1,400 drones at neighboring countries.

Attacks from Iran are ongoing. Although now the intensity of missile strikes from Iran has partially decreased, there is a new threat. And this is the intention of the Iranian regime to block the Strait of Hormuz. This is a globally important oil and gas transportation route. It is because of this threat that energy prices are destabilized in many markets. We talked about it recently with Ursula von der Leyen. It is important to protect people's lives.

It is important to restore stability and prevent the war from expanding. The Iranian regime should not win anything, and even more so it should not destroy life - neither there, in the region, nor globally - and that includes us. And it's our shared interest to help people protect themselves. Help also and speedily restore stability in critically needed supplies. Partners turn to us, to Ukraine, to help with protection against "shaheeds" - with expertise, with real work.

There were requests in this regard from the American side as well. Now, these days, I spoke with the leaders of the Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait. There will be further talks with other regional leaders. We also coordinate with our partners in Europe.