President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the nation, outlining the top priority task facing our country and detailing government measures to restore the economy.

"Ukrainians! Ukrainian women!

Our defenders and defenderesses!

I am sure you regularly see in the media—both Ukrainian and Western—reports about how long this war might last. Some say a few weeks, others predict several years. Someone suggests that the war will end by the end of this year. And someone advises to prepare for a permanent confrontation with Russia until it exists.

Of course, I also hear various forecasts. I have much more information than some media publish about the intentions and capabilities of the Russian army. About the potential of the Russian economy. About the emotional state of society in the RF. All this must be taken into account before saying how long the war will last. Therefore, we need to take into account the effectiveness of the instruments used by Ukraine and our entire anti-war coalition against Russia's aggression.

The successes of our military on the battlefield are indeed significant. Historically important. But still insufficient to cleanse our land of occupiers. We will continue to fight them harder.

Sanctions against Russia are very serious. Economically painful. But still not enough to leave the Russian war machine without means for existence. We are pushing for stronger, more destructive ones.

So it is precisely on these two fronts that the duration of this war depends.

I always tell all our partners with whom I discuss this issue that the extent of support for Ukraine directly determines when peace will come. Literally, how many more Ukrainians and Ukrainian women occupiers can kill.

If someone says a year or years, I answer: it is in your power to make the war much shorter. The sooner we receive all the weapons we have requested, the stronger our positions will be and peace will come faster. The sooner we receive the financial support we have requested, the faster peace will come. The sooner the democratic world recognizes that an oil embargo against Russia and a complete blocking of its banking sector are necessary steps to achieve peace, the sooner the war will end.

So the top priority is accelerating peace.

Our Armed Forces are executing this brilliantly. They stop attacks by occupiers. They carry out counterattacks. They have already so terrified—the right sense of this word—Russian regular aviation that they are forced to use strategic long-range aircraft.

I am grateful to every one of our defenders, every one of our defenderesses for this tremendous work.

Our diplomats must continue their activity along all possible lines and at all levels. Both official and unofficial.

The next sanctions package against Russia should include a refusal to buy Russian oil. In general, the democratic world needs to decide that Russia's money from energy resources is indeed money for destroying democracy. When these decisions are made, we will all see peace approaching.

I held a meeting with government officials today. The key topic was addressing urgent economic issues arising during wartime.

It was noted that four out of five Ukrainian enterprises have already returned to work on safe territory. This includes heavy industry as well. Transport networks are being rebuilt. Good indicators in trade and services. And all this is also part of the national task of accelerating peace.

Therefore, I am grateful to everyone who preserves jobs, who employs our people, who helps businesses adapt to these difficult conditions and gives Ukraine the necessary economic strength to survive.

Wherever there are no occupiers or military actions, we need to restore the economy as much as possible.

We discussed energy issues, completing this heating season. The season was successfully completed—despite everything. Despite all the "predictions," tariffs did not rise. There were no power outages. Supply was uninterrupted even during wartime. We have also started preparing for next winter's heating season. We talked about gas purchases and coal procurement.

We will continue to apply at least until next half-year the tariff of 1 hryvnia 44 kopecks per kilowatt-hour for those who consume less than 250 kilowatt-hours. This applies to 80% of our citizens.

The Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food reported that the sowing campaign has started and is ongoing in all regions of our country, including Luhansk and Donetsk.

Today we talked with government officials about working on filling out a questionnaire Ukraine received from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. This is an important step in preparing our state to become a candidate for EU membership. The work is almost complete, and soon the answers will be handed over to representatives of the European Union.

Today I held an important meeting with all heads of the security sector of the country. Chief Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Head of General Staff, Director of Main Intelligence Directorate, Commandant of National Guard, Minister of Internal Affairs, Head of Security Service of Ukraine. Also present were the head of the Office of the President, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, and our delegation's leader. The main topic was Mariupol. Details cannot be made public now. But we are doing everything to save our people.

Restoration of normal life is ongoing in those regions and districts from which occupiers have been expelled. The scale of work—truly colossal. 918 populated places of various scales, but equally important for us, Ukraine, have already been deoccupied.

We are conducting demining operations. Restoring electricity, water and gas supply. Re-establishing police, postal services, state and local government structures.

In 338 liberated populated places, humanitarian headquarters have already started working. We are renewing regular and emergency medical assistance, educational institution work—where this is truly possible. Because by today Russian troops have already destroyed or damaged 1018 educational institutions across our country.

We have begun the restoration of roads and railway connections. In particular, from tomorrow, railway connection with Chernihiv and Nizhyn will be restored. Trains are already running between cities in Sumy region.

The teams of Ukravtodor and Ukrainian Railways work quite effectively, and I am grateful to them for this speed. For restoring people's sense of normal life that the occupiers tried to destroy forever.

In southern and eastern parts of our country, the situation is still very difficult, far from being able to talk about restoration.

In occupied areas of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, Russian troops continue terror against peaceful residents of our state. They are looking for everyone who was ever associated with Ukrainian army or government structures.

The occupiers think that this will somehow simplify their control over the territory. But they are very wrong. They deceive themselves. The problem of the occupier is not in some activists, veterans, journalists rejecting them. Russia's problem is that it is rejected—and will never be accepted again—by the entire Ukrainian people. Russia has lost Ukraine forever. And what to say—the whole world has lost. No one will accept them.

And the cruelty with which Russian troops are trying to conquer the Azov region, Donbas, Kharkiv region, only destroys any minimal chances these territories and people might have in the future of having any connection with this state.

Perhaps somewhere in Russia they respect cruelty. But in Ukraine, cruelty is despised. And punished. And it must be.

Today I signed decrees to honor our military personnel. 237 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were awarded state awards, including 34 posthumously.

The title of Hero of Ukraine was conferred on Colonel Dmytro Valeriyovych Kachenko, commander of the 58th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the "North" Operational Command of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. For his personal example of heroism that inspires colleagues, for exceptionally effective combat actions and specific and very important results in preserving our army's positions and expelling occupiers.

And finally. Important words about how hope always prevails even over seemingly insurmountable circumstances.

This Saturday, the Jewish community celebrates Passover. A festival of liberation. A festival of life. I sincerely wish everyone celebrating in Ukraine and around the world peace, good, and an inevitable defeat of any evil that threatens freedom and life on earth.

Chag Sameach!

Thank you to all our defenders! Thank you to all our defenderesses!

Glory to Ukraine!