President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia would not be able to "save face" after the crimes committed in Ukraine.

"Many are worried about not being sensitive enough to irritate Russia, so that Russia can save face," he said on Wednesday, speaking via video link to students and members of the community at 20 Australian universities.

"Today it does not matter. It is impossible to anger those who have gone mad," the president said, adding: "It is impossible to save face for those who do not want it themselves."

Zelensky said those who want to save face "do not hit houses every day and every night, do not hit with cruise missiles, do not fire at residential premises with cluster munitions and phosphorus bombs, do not launch missiles at Kramatorsk railway station, for example, do not launch missiles shopping centers, does not drop bombs on maternity hospitals and hospitals, kindergartens, schools and universities or museums, theaters and temples, does not aim artillery at cemeteries and does not fire missiles at the memorial complex of the victims of the Holocaust."

"He who wants to save his face does not commit thousands of military crimes and crimes against humanity, does not organize mass executions of civilians, does not put handcuffs on civilians, does not put them on their knees and does not kill them with a shot in the back, does not rape wives in front of their own children and children in front of their mothers... Those who want to save their face do not seize nuclear power plants, do not shoot at power units from tanks, do not threaten the world with a nuclear strike and nuclear war. free passage of ships does not shell the port the day after the signing," he said.

Zelensky said the world is facing a choice. "For many countries, the time has come when self-interest must give way to the interests of the planet. Trade with Russia now brings benefits to some and death to others," he said.

Zelensky urged "to take an important step – to recognize Russia as a country sponsoring this terrorism."

He also urged the Australians to "continue to help us further, to help Ukraine, including standing up for the truth and debunking the myths that are so skillfully fabricated by the Russian propaganda mechanism."

He thanked the Australian government for its systemic support to Ukraine, including the provision of coal for energy, military assistance.

"The war is not over and today we need your support more than ever," the president said.