Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky made an emotional speech at the Greek Parliament on Thursday saying that the Greek revolutionary motto “Freedom or Death” applies to his country today.
He said that just as the Greek predecessors fought for their liberty by the rallying cry “Freedom or Death,” Ukrainians are doing the same now in the face of Russian aggression.
Zelensky told Greek parliamentarians that the city of Mariupol, the epicenter of the Greek presence in Ukraine is in ruins. He added that Odessa, the city where the Greek Revolution was born through the establishment of Filiki Eteria is also threatened.
Need to create a New Filiki Eteria, Zelensky tells Greek Parliament
“Maybe there is a need to establish a new Filiki Eteria to save Ukraine and Hellenism in the country,” he said.
Odessa is where the founders of Filiki Eteria (Φιλική Εταιρία), or the Society of Friends —Emmanuil Xanthos, Athanasios Tsakalov and Nikolaos Skoufas — vowed to revolt against the Ottomans who had ruled Greece for almost 400 years.