President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the nation, speaking about the need for shelters to be accessible to citizens during terrorist missile attacks and about our delegation's participation in the European Political Community summit in Moldova.

"Dear Ukrainians!

This long and difficult day is coming to an end.

First of all, my condolences to relatives and loved ones of those whose lives were taken by Russia, by Russian strikes.

We are doing everything possible to protect people. There has not been a single international meeting or negotiation where the issue of defensive weapons for Ukraine was not raised.

But protecting people is protection on all levels. Shelters must be accessible. Never again should there be a situation like that night in Kyiv, when people came to shelters and found them closed. This is an obligation of local authorities, a very specific obligation - to ensure the availability of shelters around the clock. It's painful to see such neglect of this duty. It's painful to see losses. And if the duty at the local level is not fulfilled, it is a direct responsibility of law enforcement - to hold accountable.

Today in our country, as in many other countries, we celebrate Children's Day. But even on this day, the terrorist state took the life of a Ukrainian child. And today Russia shelled our cities - from Kharkiv to Kherson, from Kyiv to Donbas. But today we used every moment to bring closer the defeat of terrorists. And today is the time when we are bringing responsibility upon Russia - each killer, each terrorist.

Today since early morning our Ukrainian delegation has been in Moldova at the European Political Community summit. Right now here - the center of political discussions on our continent. There were very important negotiations. The President of Moldova and the President of France, the Prime Minister of Great Britain and the President of the European Commission, the President of Romania and the Prime Minister of Portugal, the Prime Ministers of Albania and North Macedonia, the Prime Minister of Italy, the Prime Minister of Spain, the President of Switzerland, the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, the President of Azerbaijan, the Chancellor of Germany.

There was also an expanded format with representatives from the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Britain, Poland, Belgium. And, of course - meetings on the sidelines of the summit and a joint session of all participants and participants in the summit.

We are preparing new defense solutions for Ukraine - this concerns both defensive weapons, aviation, and our advancement on land. We are preparing real political content for the NATO summit in Vilnius. We are preparing a security package for our country on its path to the Alliance. We are doing everything to bring closer the EU's political decision regarding membership for Ukraine. We are preparing a peace summit based on the Ukrainian peace formula.

And I thank all leaders, all countries that support us on these points. This is not just support for Ukraine - this is support for real security for all of Europe.

I would like to separately thank Ms Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, for her support of our initiatives regarding the protection of our children, regarding the search and return of those little Ukrainians who were deported to Russia. We must bring them all back, we must do everything possible and impossible to give protection to all our people - to the maximum extent - from any Russian threats. I am convinced that this is possible.

I would like to separately thank President Charles Michel of the European Council who today held a special security session within the summit.

And I would like to separately thank Roberta Metsola, head of the European Parliament, for the decision on ammunition for Ukraine - for supporting an additional allocation of 500 million euros for this. Thank you!

Thank you to all our soldiers! Thank you to everyone who trains our soldiers! Who helps us with weapons! Who treats our heroes after injuries! Thank you to all rescuers, to all our employees of the State Emergency Service and other services that liquidate the consequences of Russian strikes! Thank you to all volunteers who help our soldiers, our people, our country!

Thank you to everyone with whom we are side by side on our way to victory, to peace and to holding Russian terrorists accountable.

Glory to Ukraine!"