Zelensky in the Italian Parliament: speech, what he said today

“Your strength must stop one person from surviving in the millions.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thus closes his speech in video link with the Italian Parliament. “Today I spoke with Pope Francis, he said very important words. ‘I understand that you want peace, I understand that you have to defend yourselves. Everyone defends their homeland’. I replied ‘our people became an army when they saw how badly, how much devastation the enemy brings’ “, says Zelensky. “A week ago I spoke at a demonstration in Florence, I asked all Italians to remember the number 79: they were the children killed in Ukraine. Now they are 117, another 39 have been killed. There are tens of thousands of families destroyed, all this started with one person. In cities they bury the dead in mass graves, this happens in 2022. There are 117 dead children but it will not be the final number, Russian missiles do not stop killing. Some Ukrainian cities are destroyed, like Mariupol on the Sea of ​​Azov: there were half a million people, like in Genoa, where I was. In Mariupol there is nothing left, imagine Genoa completely burned down after 3 weeks of siege, with all the people fleeing. Kiev is as important as Rome is for the whole world, we are on the verge of survival. Kiev has experienced fierce wars in its history, it needs to live in stable peace as Rome and every other city needs “, continues the Ukrainian president.” Here bombs and missiles fall every day, around here there are Russian soldiers who kill, destroy, torture and take away our goods. The Nazis had done it the last time in Europe. Italian people, we must do everything possible to guarantee peace “and put an end to the” war wanted by one person “, he says referring to Vladimir Putin. Russia’s goal” is Europe, to influence your lives, to control your politics, destroy your values. Ukraine is the gate for the Russian army, which wants to enter Europe: barbarism must not pass. Ukraine was close to you during the pandemic, we sent our doctors. When we fell victim to a flood, you supported us without asking for anything in return. Now the invasion has lasted for a month, we need other sanctions so that Russia does not find military supplies or soldiers in Libya or Syria “, he adds.” The consequences of this war are not only felt in Europe, Ukraine always has exported food: but how can we sow if the enemy destroys our fields? We do not know when we will have the harvest and if we will be able to export grain and oil. Prices are rising, millions of people in front of your shores will need help “, he says, referring to the consequences of the conflict, before calling for sanctions against Moscow and the oligarchs.” You know the Ukrainians as well, a European people as you do. . You know well who brought the war to Ukraine, Italy must not be the place that welcomes these people: their accounts, their properties, their yachts must be frozen. We must do all this for peace, we must also support the embargo on ships entering your ports, we must not make exceptions for the Turkish banks. The war must end as soon as possible, we must rebuild Ukraine together with you: together with Italy, with the European Union “, he says before the conclusion.” I have often visited your country, I very much appreciate your hospitality and the strength of your your relationships: I have seen what family and children mean to you. Today in Italy there are more than 70,000 Ukrainians forced to flee the war, many of them are children and have been welcomed directly into their families. We are very grateful to you, we look forward to their return home to Ukraine, with peace. From the first day you shared our pain, the Ukrainians will remember your warmth. Your strength must stop only one person to survive in the millions. “