President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has been awarded the prestigious International Four Freedoms Award at a ceremony on Thursday for his and his nation’s courage and resilience in resisting the full-scale invasion launched more than four years ago by Russia.
The award, bestowed by the Roosevelt Foundation, is to honour the Four Freedoms outlined by US president Franklin D Roosevelt in his 1941 State of the Union address: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.
“We pay the highest tribute to the unwavering courage and enduring perseverance of the Ukrainian people and to the steadfast and resolute leadership of their president, Volodymyr Zelensky,” said Hugo de Jonge, chairman of the foundation.
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten paid tribute to Mr Zelensky at the ceremony, saying: “It speaks volumes that you only agreed to accept this award if you could do so on behalf of all the people of Ukraine.”
After receiving a standing ovation, Mr Zelensky asked for a moment of silence for the victims of a deadly overnight barrage by Russia that killed at least 16 people and wounded many more.
“Dozens of people have been injured and, sadly, so sadly, there are also lives lost in Odesa, Kyiv, Dnipro. Just ordinary people, children, civilians, killed by Russian madness,” he said, as he called for those responsible for war crimes in Ukraine to be held accountable under international law.
“Do not let Russia go unpunished,” he said.
Previous winners of the international award include Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Germany’s former chancellor Angela Merkel, and organisations including the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
French rape survivor Gisele Pelicot was receiving the Freedom from Fear Award; the Committee to Protect Journalists received the Freedom of Speech Award; Isidora Uribe Silva, from Chile, who has cerebral palsy, earned the Freedom from Want Award for her years of campaigning for inclusion, equal human rights, and gender equality.
The winner of the Freedom of Worship Award was not announced publicly by the foundation, citing security concerns.
Another night has proven that Russia does not deserve any easing of global policy or lifting of sanctions. Russia is betting on war, and the response must be exactly that: we must defend lives with all available means, and we must also apply pressure for the sake of peace with… pic.twitter.com/jHsZjsgXt9
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 16, 2026
After the ceremony, Mr Zelensky was meeting with Mr Jetten.
The Netherlands has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since the Russian invasion, including providing Patriot missiles and fighter jets.
On Wednesday, defence minister Dilan Yeşilgoz-Zegerius announced that the Netherlands was spending 248 million euros on drones for the Ukrainian military.
With no plans announced for further US-mediated talks with Russia, Mr Zelensky had already visited three European capitals in 48 hours this week to try to secure promises of further military and financial support from Germany and Norway and Italy.
Germany and Ukraine agreed a defence package valued at four billion euros, and Norway has pledged nine billion euros in assistance, Ukrainian officials said.
The Four Freedoms awards are presented in the New Church in Middelburg, in the province of Zeeland, where president Roosevelt’s ancestors hailed from.
