Zelensky said Ukraine’s losses were “enormous”, as “tens of thousands of homes were destroyed, tens of towns and villages were burned, millions were left without the opportunity to live normally.” He added that 145 children had been killed since the beginning of the Russian invasion. The actual number is probably much higher, he said. “We may have lost hundreds,” he said. “Think about it, hundreds of children. Only children.” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is “one of the greatest threats to international security since World War II,” Zelensky said, adding that the current “war” is not limited to Ukraine. “We have no common border with you, but we have a common neighbor who denies all our common values,” he said. “For the Russian state in its current state, neither the freedom of nations nor the freedom of human affairs.” Zelenski thanked Norway for its support, but asked her to do more. He called for more weapons, including anti-ship weapons, including harpoon missiles, air defense systems and weapons to destroy armored vehicles and artillery systems. “Freedom must not be armed worse than tyranny,” he said. He also pushed for more sanctions against Russia, saying new sanctions packages should be “introduced every week, without delay.” “The stronger they are, the faster we will restore peace,” he said. Zelensky called on Norwegian companies to stop supporting Russia, cited a ban on Russian ships using European ports and called on Norway, a major energy supplier, to contribute to Europe’s energy security. Finally, he asked Norway to invest in the reconstruction of Ukraine when the invasion ended. “We must do everything to ensure that a rock like Ukraine is always with Europe,” Zelensky said.
