President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the nation, speaking about the urgent need for our partners to supply us with missile defense systems and about working towards obtaining candidate status in the European Union.

"Ukrainians! Ukrainian women!

All of our defenders and defenders!

After a missile strike on the Ternopil region, ten people are still in hospitals. There was no tactical or strategic sense to this strike, just as there wasn't with the vast majority of other Russian strikes. This is terror, pure and simple.

Among the victims is a girl, she's 12 years old, from Kharkiv. She went to Ternopil region to escape the Russian army. And it's these facts that will now shape how Russia is perceived around the world. Not Peter I or Leo Tolstoy, but children injured and killed by Russian strikes.

Today marks 109 days of full-scale war, but it's far from being the 109th day we've told our partners a simple thing: Ukraine needs modern missile defense systems. Supplying such systems was possible this year and last year, as well as earlier. Did we receive them? No. Do they need them? Yes. There have already been 2606 firm answers to that question in the form of various Russian cruise missiles hitting Ukrainian cities. Our cities, our villages since February 24th. Lives that could have been saved, tragedies that could have been prevented if Ukraine had been heard.

The key tactical goal of the occupiers has not changed. They are pressing in Severodonetsk where very fierce battles are taking place — literally for every meter. And they are also pressing towards Lysychansk, Bakhmut, Sloviansk and others.

The Russian army is trying to bring reserve forces into the Donbas region. But what reserves can there be now? It seems they will try to throw poorly prepared conscripts and those gathered through hidden mobilization into battle. Russian generals view their people simply as cannon fodder needed to ensure numerical superiority — in manpower, in military equipment. And this means only one thing: Russia could cross the threshold of 40 thousand lost soldiers by May. In no other war over many decades have they lost so much.

Prepared an appeal to the American Jewish Committee. Today a global forum organized by the committee is starting in New York. This is one of the most influential structures that helps advance solutions for our defense.

Called on them to double their efforts so we can receive more modern weapons, more financial support for our state, so we can end this war faster.

This week I will continue addressing parliaments of partner countries, including the Czech Parliament.

Many talks at various levels with European politicians are also planned.

Every day we work with the EU on Ukraine's candidate status and our country has done everything for a positive response. The question is now in the decisiveness of some European leaders.

We will continue working to ease access for Ukrainian goods to all important world markets. Tariffs have already been abolished in trade with the European Union. The United States applies a duty-free regime for Ukrainian steel. Canada has abolished tariffs. A similar regime will soon be implemented with Britain. We are expecting liberalization of trade from Australia.

Today, the ministerial conference of World Trade Organization members began. Prior to its start, representatives of 57 countries gathered at a special solidarity event for Ukraine and I am grateful to each one of them for this. And we will learn about the timelines for decisions on trade relaxations for Ukraine from Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland.

So the week is going to be serious. And I believe there will be good news for Ukraine.

Thank you very much to everyone who defends our country!

Eternal glory to all those who gave their lives for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!"