President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the nation, speaking about the importance of maintaining international attention on our country and preparing for Russia's new offensive in Donbas.

"Ukrainians! Ukrainian women!

All our defenders!

The 81st day of our defense is coming to an end, and we are beginning another week of around-the-clock work for Ukraine and victory.

This week, as always, there will be a lot of international activity in which I will participate. The key issue is weapons and financial support for Ukraine. Financial assistance is not only to maintain stability now but also to begin reconstruction of the areas destroyed by Russia.

We are also working on strengthening sanctions against Russia. It is necessary that partners adopt decisions every week that limit Russia's ties with the world. Occupiers must feel an increased cost of war for them, constantly.

Right now, the top priority is oil embargo. No matter how much Moscow tries to undermine this decision, Europe’s dependence on Russian energy resources is coming to an end. And nothing can change that.

Another task that becomes more important as the war drags on is doing everything we can to maintain maximum international attention towards us, Ukraine. Information about our needs should be in the news of all countries that are important for us. It must be there constantly and every day.

In particular, for this — for greater informational and political support for Ukraine — on Monday I will speak to students at leading American universities. This involves 63 US universities and two Canadian universities that unite hundreds of thousands of students and are a large expert and research community. Their voice will definitely strengthen our possibilities. Also planned is a separate address to Stanford University students towards the end of May.

I am also preparing for communication with Ukrainian students at leading higher education institutions in our country. In my address to them, I will answer some important and complex questions that are already visible in our society. And I expect deep questions from them, from our students.

I will continue to appeal to the parliaments of European countries — partners of Ukraine. Our task is for Ukraine to gain candidate status for EU membership and then join the EU through a fast-track procedure. Every country matters. Every vote counts. It is also important to have maximum agreement among European countries to strengthen sanctions against Russia. For this, I will address the Luxembourg Parliament in the near future.

By the way, we are also working on expanding the geography of such special addresses to parliaments to African and Asian countries.

On May 23rd, an address is planned for participants at the Davos forum. This year's conference will be particularly important for our country. Post-war recovery will be discussed. We are doing everything we can to gather maximum support from around the world, and participation in the work of the Davos Forum is one of the best opportunities for this.

We continue very complex and delicate negotiations to save our people from Mariupol, Azovstal. We deal with this issue daily. And most importantly, agreements must be fulfilled.

We are expecting the United States of America to adopt important decisions for our country. A new significant support package and detailed processing of historically renewed Lend-Lease programs.

We are preparing for Russia's new attempts to launch an offensive in Donbas, somehow activate its movement in southern Ukraine. Occupiers still do not want to acknowledge that they are in a dead end and their so-called special operation has already failed. But there will come a moment when the Ukrainian people will force oppressors to fully recognize reality.

Whatever they 'creatively' do in Kherson and Melitopol, however they portray their alleged 'rule' in occupied areas of the Azov Sea region and Donbas, their presence there is still temporary. The Ukrainian flag, Ukrainian law, and Ukrainian life will be there.

Today's Russian missile strikes on Lviv Oblast, shelling of Hulyai Pole, Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, cities and communities in Donetsk Oblast — all this cruelty of the occupiers that Ukraine is experiencing every day will only lead to Russian soldiers who survive bringing this evil back with them to Russia.

They will bring it because they will retreat. This is how all the hot activity of Russian troops, which we see now, will end. And I am grateful to all Ukrainians and Ukrainian women who are bringing that time closer.

Eternal glory to all who defend the state!

Eternal memory to each one who gave their life for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!"