Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian people will receive the prestigious 2023 Charlemagne Prize for services to Europe, the prize's board and the German city of Aachen announced on Friday.
"We consider the awarding of the Charlemagne Prize 2023 as an act of solidarity with Ukraine," explained the chairman of the prize board, Jürgen Linden.
The decision was unanimous - and "in the current European situation" no alternative was seen, he said.
The Ukrainian people under Zelensky's leadership were not only defending the sovereignty of their country and the lives of its citizens, "but also Europe and European values," according to the prize citation.
The award underlines that Ukraine is part of Europe. The people and government representatives deserve "the encouragement" to "enter swiftly into accession negotiations with the European Union."
The board said Zelensky is "a diplomat, a motivator and – if, in his opinion, the situation so warrants – also a highly articulate critic."
The prize has been awarded since 1950 for services to Europe and European unification. It is named after Charlemagne, or Charles the Great. His empire stretched over a large part of Western Europe, and he often resided in Aachen.
The award comes with a medal and a certificate. There is no monetary reward.
