ROME – The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a speech to the Italian parliament on Tuesday morning, after which Prime Minister Mario Draghi emphasised "Italy wants Ukraine to join the European Union,” political sources said.

 President Zelensky addressed the parliament via video call from Ukraine and he was greeted by a long, firm round of applause from those present in the senate.

 “A week ago, speaking to representatives from several European cities,” said the Ukrainian president, “I asked people to remember the number 79 - the number of children killed in the conflict up to that day. Now, the number is 117, and this will not be the final figure.”

 Zelensky called this “the price of procrastination,” saying the world has been too slow in putting enough pressure on Russia to stop the invasion.

 He urged those listening to imagine if what is happening in Mariupol was happening in Genoa, both cities of half a million people. 

 “Imagine a Genoa completely burned down after three weeks of continuous siege, bombings and shooting,” said Zelensky. “Imagine for a minute, thousands of people fleeing your Genoa, by foot, by car, by bus, to get to somewhere safer.”

 "For the Russians, Ukraine is the gateway to Europe,” said Zelensky. "Putin's goal is to influence your lives, to have control over your policy, and to destroy your values.”

 “Ukraine is the gate for the Russian army, they want to enter Europe but barbarism must not enter.”

 “Italian people, we must do everything possible to guarantee peace. This is a war created for decades by a single person, who has made a lot of money from oil and gas exports” and now uses it for war.

 The Ukrainian leader said he was grateful for the help given so far, but that after almost a month his country needs “other sanctions, other pressures.”

 "Russian officials and oligarchs use Italy as a place for their holidays, you do not have to welcome these people.”

  Zelensky continued with concrete instructions. “You must freeze property and accounts, seize yachts and freeze the assets of those in Russia with decision-making power. You must support the sanctions and the embargo against Russian ships in your ports. You must absolutely not allow exceptions to the sanctions for any Russian bank.

 “Only one has to be stopped, so that millions of survive,” he added, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

 President Zelensky rounded off his speech by thanking Italy. "From day one you shared our pain, and helped the Ukrainians with your warmth and strength. Glory to Ukraine and thanks to Italy.”

 Following the speech, Premier Draghi outlined what Italy is doing to help the situation.

 "We have frozen over 800 million euros worth of Russian oligarchs’ assets,” and “we are committed to diversifying the sources of energy supply” to overcome “our dependence on Russia very quickly.”

 He said that “Italians have thrown open the doors of their homes and schools to Ukrainian refugees” and will continue to do so, thanks to round-the-clock work by the Regions, Municipalities, Civil Protection, religious bodies, and volunteers. “Because in the face of incivility, Italy does not intend to turn the other way.”

​​ The premier also underlined that the country wants to support Ukraine to join the European Union. “We want to draw a path of greater proximity of Ukraine to Europe, it is a long process made up of necessary reforms. Italy is alongside Ukraine in this process.”

ln