Zelenskyy and Ukrainian people receive Four Freedoms Award

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accepted the 2026 Four Freedoms Award on behalf of the Ukrainian people during a ceremony in Middelburg, Netherlands. Presented by the Roosevelt Institute, the award recognizes the defense of democracy and freedom under challenging conditions, inspired by Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1941 speech. During the event, Zelenskyy observed a minute of silence to honor victims of overnight Russian air strikes. He received the accolade from Anne Roosevelt, the chair of the foundation and granddaughter of the former U.S. President. In his acceptance speech, Zelenskyy described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a global threat and emphasized that the freedom to live without fear should not be taken for granted. He urged the international community to maintain ongoing military, political, and legal support for Ukraine. The ongoing conflict has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of displacements since the Russian invasion began in February 2022.