Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky observed a moment of silence for the victims of widespread Russian airstrikes overnight as he received the international Four Freedoms Award on behalf of the Ukrainian people, in recognition of their courage during the war that began in February 2022.

The award was presented earlier today by the Roosevelt Institute for American Studies, based in the Dutch city of Middelburg.

The Institute stated that the 2026 prize was awarded to Zelensky and the Ukrainian people “in recognition of their courageous struggle for freedom and democracy under extremely difficult circumstances.” The annual Four Freedoms Awards are inspired by a 1941 speech to Congress by Franklin D. Roosevelt, which outlined four fundamental human rights: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

After receiving the award from Anne Roosevelt, Zelensky stressed that the freedom to live without fear should never be taken for granted. He described Russian President Vladimir Putin as “a global threat” and urged the international community to maintain its military, political, and legal support for Ukraine.

Freedom from Fear Award

The Roosevelt Foundation also awarded the “Freedom from Fear Award” to Gisèle Pelicot, a 73-year-old French woman who has become a global symbol in the fight against sexual violence with the slogan “Shame must change sides.”

Pelicot was subjected to repeated sexual abuse over a period of ten years by her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, and other men he recruited through an online platform. He drugged her and invited them to their home in the village of Mazan to assault her while she was unconscious.

She chose not to have the trial held behind closed doors, insisting that “shame must change sides,” so that perpetrators—not victims—are held accountable. The trial, which shocked France, began in September 2024 at the criminal court in Avignon and lasted four months.

Pelicot also authored a memoir, published in February by Flammarion, titled Et la joie de vivre (“And the Joy of Life”). The book has been translated into 22 languages and released internationally under the English title A Hymn to Life.

Other Awards

The Roosevelt Foundation announced that the recipient of the “Freedom of Religion” award would remain undisclosed for security reasons. Chilean activist Isadora Uribe Silva received the “Freedom from Want” award.

The “Freedom of Speech and Expression” award was presented to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York-based nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom and defends journalists’ rights worldwide.

Among those present at the ceremony were Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, King Willem-Alexander, and Princess Beatrix. The Roosevelt family has Dutch roots.

In her speech, Anne Roosevelt noted that “the war in Ukraine shows that the struggle for freedom is still as relevant today as it was 80 years ago.” The awards have been presented since 1982, marking the centenary of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s birth.

Past recipients of the Four Freedoms Awards include Kofi Annan, Angela Merkel, the Dalai Lama, and Nelson Mandela.