Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the Italian Parliament on the morning of Tuesday 22 February, to thank our country for the help provided and for the welcome extended to all Ukrainians fleeing the conflict. Zelensky immediately recalled the thousands of victims of these three weeks of war, sparing a thought for the children who did not make it and for those who, in fewer than 30 days, had lost everything, including their own future. "A week ago I spoke at a meeting in Florence where I asked all Italians and Europeans to remember the number 79. 79 were the children killed up to that moment in Ukraine. Now they are 117," he said. "In city neighbourhoods, the dead are being buried in mass graves, in parks, in 2022. Every day of war will take away more lives of our children. 117 is not the final number."

The Ukrainian president then drew a parallel with the city of Genoa. "Russian missiles, aviation and artillery do not stop killing. Ukrainian cities are being destroyed, some are destroyed entirely. Like Mariupol, on the coast of the Sea of Azov, where there were about half a million people, as in your city of Genoa," he said. "In Mariupol there is nothing left, only ruins. Imagine a Genoa completely in flames, after three weeks of siege, of bombardment, of gunfire that does not stop for even a minute — imagine your Genoa from which people are fleeing, on foot, by car, by bus, to reach wherever is safer."

He concluded his address by calling for stronger sanctions against Russia and by reminding his audience that "One single person must be stopped to save all Ukrainians." Below is his speech in full.

What Volodymyr Zelensky said to the Italian Parliament

Today I spoke with the Pope and he said very important words: "I understand that you desire peace, you must defend yourselves, the military and civilians are defending their homeland." I replied: our people have become an army, having seen the evil that the enemy brings, the devastation it leaves behind, and how much bloodshed it wants to see.

A week ago I spoke at a meeting in Florence where I asked all Italians and Europeans to remember the number 79. 79 were the children killed in Ukraine at that moment. Now they are 117. Another 38 children in these days. This is the price of procrastination in exerting pressure on Russia to stop this war.

There are thousands of wounded, tens of thousands of families destroyed, hundreds of thousands of lives destroyed along with their futures, millions of homes abandoned. And it all started with one person.

In city neighbourhoods, the dead are being buried in mass graves, in parks, in 2022. Every day of war will take away more lives of our children. 117 is not the final number. Because the Russian invasion continues.

Russian missiles, aviation and artillery do not stop killing. Ukrainian cities are being destroyed, some are destroyed entirely. Like Mariupol, on the coast of the Sea of Azov, where there were about half a million people, as in your city of Genoa — I have been there. In Mariupol there is nothing left, only ruins. Imagine a Genoa completely in flames, after three weeks of siege, of bombardment, of gunfire that does not stop for even a minute, imagine your Genoa from which your people are fleeing, on foot, by car, by bus, to reach wherever is safer.

I am speaking from Kyiv, our capital, a city that is as important to our culture as Rome is to yours.

From Kyiv the culture of our people begins, and now it is on the brink of survival. It needs to live in eternal peace, like Rome. But in Kyiv the sirens, the bombs and the missiles are heard every day. There are Russian troops who torture, rape, kidnap children and loot our possessions. This happened in Europe at the hands of the Nazis when they occupied other countries.

Russia has also mined the sea, near our ports, and this is becoming a danger because the mines can reach other countries. Everything possible must be done to guarantee peace.

This war has been created and organised over decades by one single person, earning enormous sums of money from oil and gas exports and using that money for war. And not only against Ukraine, because their objective is Europe — it is to influence your lives, to gain control over your politics, to destroy your values, democracy, human rights, freedom. Ukraine is the gateway for the Russian army, but they want to enter Europe.

You must remember that during the pandemic we were by your side with our doctors, and you gave us support during the floods, you supported us without asking for anything in return.

The invasion has been going on for a month, 27 days. We need more sanctions and pressure so that Russia does not call in more troops from Libya and Syria. We need peace.

The consequences are being felt around the world. Hunger is drawing closer for several countries. Ukraine has always been an exporter, but how can we sow under artillery fire, when our enemy destroys our fields and our fuel supplies? We cannot export maize, oil, wheat and the products essential for life. Prices are rising. Millions of people will need help on your doorstep.

You know Ukrainians well — a people who never wanted war, a people who are European just like you. You know who is giving the orders to fight, who is propagandising war. Do not be a place that welcomes these people. We must block and freeze real estate, accounts and yachts; we must freeze the assets of all those who in Russia have the power to decide. You must support the embargo against Russian ships entering your ports. You must not allow exceptions for banks. You must stop the food crisis and the killings, because the war must end soon. We must protect families, demine the territory and rebuild Ukraine after the war, together with Europe.

Before the war I visited your country often. I greatly appreciate your hospitality, your sincerity, the strength of your relationships; I have seen what your families are like, what children mean to you and what life means to you. I want to thank you for your help to Ukrainians, because you are welcoming people who are saving themselves from the war. Today in Italy there are more than 70,000 of our citizens who have been forced to flee the war, of whom more than 25,000 are children, and many of them have been taken in directly by families. Here the first Ukrainian was born whose mother had fled the war. Dozens of wounded children are in your hospitals and we are very grateful to you, and we look forward to the day when they will be able to return home, to Ukraine — a Ukraine at peace.

Here you can help: you have shared our pain with us, help the Ukrainians. They will always remember your involvement, your warmth and your strength in stopping one person. Just one person must be stopped to save the Ukrainians.