Ukraine's Zelenskyy addresses Canada's parliament: 'Please close the sky'

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Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered an impassioned speech to the Canadian parliament on Tuesday urging them to exert more economic and military pressure on Russia as it continues its invasion of Ukraine. 

"Justin, can you imagine you and your children hearing all these severe explosions, the bombing of the airport, the bombing of the Ottawa airport?" Zelenskyy said, speaking to Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. "Cruise missiles are falling down and your children are asking you ‘What happened?’"

In this image from video provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office and posted on Facebook early Saturday, March 12, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

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Zelenskyy implored the Canadian government to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine to help protect Ukrainian forces from Russian jets.

"Please close the sky, close the airspace," he said. "Please stop the bombing. How many more cruise missiles have to fall on our cities until you make this happen?"

"Dear Justin, dear guests. Can you imagine that every day you receive memorandums about the number of casualties, including women and children?" Zelenskyy added. "You heard about the bombings. Currently we have 97 children that died during this war."

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Svyatogorsk Lavra in the Donetsk region after it was targeted  (State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine )

Zelenskyy evoked British wartime leader Winston Churchill as he told the U.K. Parliament last week that his country would fight Russia’s invasion to the end in Ukraine’s cities. Zelenskyy also was to speak Wednesday to members of the U.S. House and Senate, an event that will be livestreamed for the public.

Canadian lawmakers gave him two standing ovations before he even spoke.

"Can you imagine if the famous CN Tower in Toronto was hit by Russian bombs?" he said. "This is our reality."

The video of Zelenskyy, wearing a green military t-shirt and sweater, was projected onto big screens in the Canadian Parliament. He thanked Canada for its humanitarian and military support and called the country a steadfast ally.

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Zelenskyy's plea for a no-fly zone came the same day the White House warned that the move "could prompt a war with Russia."

"It is also true that the president has to look at decisions that are made through the prism of what is in our national security interest and global security interest," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to female flight attendants in comments broadcast on state television on Saturday, March 5, 2022. (Image: Reuters Video) (Reuters Video)

"He continues to believe that a no-fly zone would be escalatory, could prompt a war with Russia," she continued. "I don’t believe there is a lot of advocates calling for that at this point in time from Capitol Hill, but we certainly understand and recognize that is still a call from President Zelenskyy."

Associated Press contributed to this report