Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky virtually addressed Congress from Kyiv and asked for more aid as Russian forces continue their attacks on cities across the country.
"I'm proud to greet you from Ukraine from our capital city of Kyiv, a city that is under missile and airstrikes from Russian troops every day, but it doesn't give up -- and we have not even thought about it for a second," he said.
Zelensky invoked the terror attacks on 9/11 as he described the current situation in his country.
"Remember September the 11th, a terrible day in 2001 when evil tried to turn your cities, independent territories on battlefields, when innocent people were attacked from air, yes, just like no one else expected it, you could not stop it," he said. "Our country experiences the same thing every day, right now at this moment, every night for three weeks now various Ukrainian cities -- Mariupol and Kharkiv -- Russia has turned the Ukrainian skies into a source of death for thousands of people."
Zelensky pleaded for the United States to create a no-fly zone to stop Russian airstrikes.
"Is this a lot to ask for, to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine to save people? Is this too much to ask? A humanitarian no-fly zone, something that Ukraine—that Russia would not be able to terrorize our free cities?" Zelenskyy asked.
He also requested additional aircraft and air defense systems so Ukrainian forces could fight back against the Russian invaders.
"I have a dream," he said, invoking the famous speech by Martin Luther King Jr.
"These words are known to each of you. Today, I can say I have a need. A need to protect our sky. I need your decision, your help, which means exactly the same," he said. "The same you feel when you hear the words, I have a dream."
Zelensky also proposed the creation of a "union of responsible countries that have the strength and consciousness to stop conflicts, immediately provide all the necessary assistance in 24 hours, if necessary—even weapons, if necessary, sanctions, humanitarian support, political support."
"If such an alliance would exist today…we would be able to save thousands of lives in our country, in many countries of the world who need peace, those who suffer inhumane destruction," Zelenskyy said.