Ukrainian President Gives Surprise Speech At Johns Hopkins Graduation

BALTIMORE, MD — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy surprised members of Johns Hopkins University's class of 2023 Thursday, delivering an unexpected and moving speech during the university's commencement ceremony at Homewood Field in Baltimore.

Zelenskyy's remarks were broadcast via a livestream from Ukraine. Graduates and their families and friends watched his remarks on giant screens next to the stage. He was also presented with an honorary degree by Johns Hopkins University President Ron Daniels, according to a news release from the university.

Almost no one in attendance knew in advance that Zelenskyy would be speaking at the ceremony, according to the release. Their first hint was Ukraine's blue and yellow flag when it appeared during an introductory video.

In his speech, Zelenskyy congratulated graduates and called Johns Hopkins "one of the world's greatest universities."

He continued, stating that his remarks would be brief because time is one of our most precious resources. He encouraged graduates not to waste time and to figure out how they would use their time.

"Every person eventually realizes that time is the most valuable resource on the planet, not oil or uranium, not lithium or anything else, but time," Zelenskyy said. "The very flow of time convinces us of this. Some people realize this sooner, and these are the lucky ones."

Zelenskyy also praised the United States and President Joe Biden for supporting Ukraine's war against Russia.

"I'm proud that Ukraine is not losing a single day in its defense against Russian terror. Every day we do everything, everything to become stronger, to give more protection to people, to save more lives," Zelenskyy said.

He continued, "President Biden, a strong bipartisan coalition in Congress, and most of all the American people, have like the generations before them, rising to this occasion and are leading the free world to secure freedom in Europe."

Zelenskyy's address at Johns Hopkins marks his first speech at a U.S. college campus since May 2022, about three months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, NPR reported.

In a May 2022 address to Stanford University students, Zelenskyy encouraged graduates to pursue their passions post-commencement, something those drafted into the war couldn't do.

Jill Rosen, director of media relations at Johns Hopkins, told the Baltimore Banner that "no one was certain (Zelenskyy's speech) would happen, even up until the last minute." According to Rosen, they had a backup speaker standing by.

According to the Johns Hopkins website, Zelenskyy accepted the invitation to speak to graduates "on behalf of his nation and in defense of democratic values that allow peace, opportunity, and freedom to flourish around the globe."