There will be no third World War, it is not a trilogy: Ukraine prez Zelenskyy at Golden Globe Awards

"Our common struggle for freedom, democracy, for the right to live, for the right to love," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Los Angeles, Jan 11: There will be no third World War as the tide is changing in Ukraine's ongoing conflict with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday said at at the annual Golden Globe Awards ceremony.

In a virtual statement, he said, "The first World War claimed millions of lives. The second World War claimed tens of millions of them. There will be no third World War, it is not a trilogy." "Ukraine will stop the Russian aggression on our land" with the help of the free world, he said. "It is now 2023; the war in Ukraine is not over yet, but the tide is turning," Zelenskyy said. "And it is already clear who will win," said the Ukrainian President.

In the speech, Zelenskyy stated that the award show was originated in 1943 when the World War II was nearing its end. "The awards were born at a special time. The second World War wasn't over yet, but the tide was turned all knew who would win. There were still battles and tears ahead. It was then when the Golden Globe Awards appeared to honor the best performers of 1943," he added.

The Ukrainian President thanked those who supported the freedom of Ukraine and said, "our common struggle for freedom, democracy, for the right to live, for the right to love" is unifying. The audience cheered when President Zelenskyy announced his projected victory. He concluded, "We will make it together with a whole, free world, and I hope that all of you will be with us on the victorious day -- the day of our victory. Slava Ukraini."

Actor-director Sean Penn introduced Zelenskyy as he said, "From the other-worldly courage of young Iranians rising up," Penn said to the crowd. "To the ever persevering women's movement of Afghanistan. We are reminded, in no uncertain terms, that the freedom to dream is not simply a human luxury but rather a human need that must be fought and sacrificed for. If the freedom to dream were a spear, I proudly present a human being who tonight represents that spear's most honed tip."

The "Gaslit" star met with Zelenskyy in Kyiv last November to express his support for the war-torn country, where he had been filming a documentary for Vice Studios earlier in the year. As a gift, Penn had given Zelenskyy one of his Oscar trophies in an exchange that was shared on Twitter by Anton Gerashchenko, the advisor to the minister of internal affairs of Ukraine. In return, Penn received an Order of Merit honouring his passionate solidarity with Ukraine.

It may be recalled that Zelensky had made a surprise appearance at the last year's Grammys appearing virtually from a bunker and continues to speak at public events advocating for his country in its fight against Russia.