Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament about Sasha Paskal and her “Dance of Freedom”
16.09.2026
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen spoke about Oleksandra Paskal and her “Dance of Freedom” world tour during her annual address on the State of the European Union. Sasha was present in the European Parliament’s chamber in Strasbourg, where she was welcomed by European parliamentarians.
The President of the European Commission called the girl an example of the resilience of Ukrainians. She recalled that Sasha lost a leg as a result of a russian missile strike, but returned to sports using a prosthesis, continued training and went on to win competitions.
This summer, the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation organized the “Dance of Freedom” world tour for Oleksandra. Sasha performed in Paris, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Nairobi and Tokyo to tell the world about the resilience of Ukrainians and Ukraine’s struggle for freedom.
“She inspired people near the Eiffel Tower and in Times Square, in Rio and Tokyo. And today, she wants to bring her message here - to the very heart of Europe. Sasha, you are a great source of inspiration for us all,” Ursula von der Leyen said.
In her address, the President of the European Commission also called russia’s strikes on Ukrainian cities a deliberate strategy of terror. At the same time, she stressed that Ukrainians have already proved countless times that their spirit cannot be broken.
