President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the nation and spoke about how Easter was celebrated under wartime conditions, as well as his meeting with US representatives — Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

"Ukrainians! Ukrainian women!

All our defenders!

Yesterday, Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrated Easter. The traditional greeting "Christ is Risen!" was also heard in Russia. But did these words mean the same thing there as they do throughout the entire Orthodox world?

Russia "greeted" Ukraine with an aerial threat almost across our entire country, a missile strike on Poltava region, and missile strikes on Kremenchuk. What was the purpose of this attack on Easter? There is no such military threat that could have secured Russia from it. This is simply conscious destruction in Ukraine. Destruction that did not stop even during the most Orthodox holiday.

So, are these people Christians who continued to shell our cities and communities yesterday? Who shelled Chuhuiv in Kharkiv region. Who killed two more children in Donetsk region on Easter — a girl of five and another of fourteen years old.

Killing children, destroying lives, covering up with cynical lies the atrocities committed against peaceful cities — everything that Russia does on Ukrainian territory is definitely not Christianity. This is what Christ stood against.

And these people are not Christians who once again refused to open humanitarian corridors from Mariupol. Not Christians who filmed propaganda reports in occupied areas of Ukraine about supposedly distributing Easter baskets. Especially everyone knows, including in Russia, that before February 24th, all Ukrainians had the opportunity to celebrate Easter freely in any church and without any "humanitarian" baskets.

Not Christians are those who try to build a harsh occupation regime in occupied areas of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, hold people hostage, torture them. Who even on Easter did not allow people to leave the occupied territory, threatened with death.

Russia was offered an Easter ceasefire. But the Orthodox world saw that for Russian aggressors, Easter means nothing. It is just a red date in their calendar, requiring special words and behavior but not what is called faith or Christian goodness.

The Russian army made this Easter red not only formally on the calendar but also red with blood. Christians would have established peace if they had the opportunity to do so.

So, holding a candle in your hand in church does not mean being a Christian. Eating or even blessing Easter eggs every year — this is still not enough to be human, to be a Christian.

And I am grateful to all our police officers, all the Security Service of Ukraine workers, and everyone else responsible for security on Easter, for preventing any provocations yesterday. Everything that Russian propagandists announced in advance.

Ukrainian Armed Forces are holding off Russian military attacks at key points. In Kharkiv region — near Izium, in Donbas — especially around Popasna, and in Mariupol where the city defenders continue to resist, in southern regions where occupiers try to go on the offensive.

Air alarms were again heard almost across our country this morning. Vinnytsia region, Rivne region, Lviv region, Odesa region — missile threat. Russia does not give up attempts to break our resistance in order to... achieve what?

In occupied areas or it is already a humanitarian catastrophe, or there is very little time before one happens. There are no basic products, there are no medicines. People do not have means for normal existence, they lack even elementary security. They miss everything that was before February 24th. What was in Donetsk and Luhansk regions before 2014. Everything we will definitely return after the liberation of our land.

We continue to do all we can to drive out occupiers and restore peace for all our people. The key element of this process — the strength of Ukraine's Armed Forces. The presence of sufficient quantity and quality of weapons, sufficient quantity and quality of ammunition.

Helping Ukraine was the number one issue in talks with US representatives who arrived in Kyiv yesterday — Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Our talks with them were quite long — over three hours — and substantive. Encouraging and, importantly, productive.

I am grateful to the American people and personally President Biden for the strong and sincere support we are receiving. This is real stuff that strengthens not only our country but democracy as a whole.

We equally understand with the United States: when democracy wins in one country, it wins everywhere. When freedom is defended in one country, it is defended everywhere.

Agreed with the American side on further steps to strengthen Ukraine's Armed Forces and meet all our army’s priority needs. This also concerns preparations for a major ministerial meeting in Germany tomorrow — forty defense ministers of partner countries will gather. The key issue — defending Ukraine, defending freedom in Eastern Europe.

Discussed ways to intensify sanctions. The fact that Russia does not seek peace and demonstratively kills even on Easter shows that more sanction pressure is needed. It is necessary to cut off all possibilities for Russia to circumvent sanctions. So we handed over a special Plan regarding strengthening sanctions against the Russian Federation, developed by an international expert group under Andriy Yermak and Michael McFaul's leadership.

A separate point of discussion — financial support for Ukraine. When tyranny has colossal financial resources from oil and gas exports, the question of financial support for freedom becomes crucially important. We heard full understanding of this position from American friends. Not only in the context of helping Ukraine now during the war but also for post-war reconstruction.

We continued to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine as well. I am convinced that the United States can be a leader among future guarantor countries — of Ukraine's security. The main goal for all of us is to make Europe and the world safer after the war, guaranteeing that the architecture of security will work in case of any new threats.

I was glad to hear from our friends confirmation that the US Embassy will resume operations in Kyiv soon. Also, a new US Ambassador to Ukraine will be appointed. This is very supportive for our country.

Had an important conversation with Turkish President Erdogan. About the situation in Mariupol and the need for civilian evacuation and wounded people, about the urgent need for prisoner exchanges of blocked Ukrainian military personnel.

Discussed the negotiation process with Russia, defense issues. Also touched upon the threat to the world food market provoked by Russia blocking our Black Sea ports.

Food prices have already reached a critical level in many countries. But this is only the beginning. If Russia does not start seeking peace, the question of food security in many countries will turn into a matter of physical survival for millions of people and thus state systems' stability.

More and more political leaders around the world are becoming aware of this threat. So we expect more pressure on Russia.

Congratulated French President Macron on his election victory. Spoke to him in the night. Ukraine will always value his support, be grateful for France's help. I am convinced that together with France, together with President Macron, we can do a lot more for protecting our common freedom, our united Europe.

Late last evening after all foreign policy matters, signed important decrees on awarding our heroes. 188 military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and five Security Service of Ukraine workers were honored with state awards of Ukraine.

The title of Hero of Ukraine was awarded to Colonel Dmytro Valentinovich Chayuk, deputy commander of the 128th Separate Mountain-Storm Brigade, for personal bravery and effectiveness in battles against occupiers, for destroying enemy equipment and manpower.

Glory to all our heroes!

Eternal memory to everyone who gave their life for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!">