Zelensky to young Ukrainians: We are grateful to you for being in Ukraine

He said this during the 2nd National Forum of Talented Youth while speaking with school pupils and university students, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“Ukraine is alive. We are grateful to you for being in Ukraine. First and foremost, we are grateful to our military – thanks to them, Ukraine exists – and we are grateful to you as well. You give us this energy and motivation to fight for what Ukraine is. And Ukraine is, above all, our freedom and our people,” the President said.

During the forum, around 50 winners of international and nationwide academic competitions, a robotics olympiad, young people with the highest National Multisubject Test (NMT) scores, and medalists of the Youth Olympic Games received awards from the Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science and Sports.

The awards were presented in seven categories: Science of Victory, Code of the Future (STEM: mathematics, robotics, IT, and computer science), Architects of Statehood (law, history), Power of the Word (NMT, Ukrainian language and literature), Noosphere Breakthrough (biology, chemistry, geography), Will of the Victors, and Light of the Universe (physics, astronomy).

The President also presented Presidential awards to a number of young scientists.

President’s Adviser and Commissioner for the Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science and Sports Olha Budnyk, noted that such incentives are needed to give young people confidence that they have a future.

“We want them to feel connected to the state and to know that they are needed. The most important thing we can give a young person today is confidence in their future, because we live in very difficult times and often feel uncertain about the future ourselves,” she said.

Budnyk recalled that laureates of the Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science and Sports receive scholarships: winners of international competitions receive UAH 25,000 per month during the academic year; winners of nationwide competitions receive UAH 15,000, UAH 10,000, or UAH 5,000 depending on their placement; and awards for those who achieved the highest NMT scores amount to UAH 10,000 per month during their first year of study.

“The main condition for receiving the award is enrollment in a Ukrainian higher education institution. This is the only basic requirement that must be met. If they leave abroad, unfortunately, we cannot provide this support. In this way, we encourage them to stay,” Budnyk said.

As reported, the first National Forum of Talented Youth took place in Kyiv in January 2025.