Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky argued that support from the United States and the West, in general, arrived a little too late to safeguard his country and his people from the terror of the Russian army.
During a Thursday news conference, Zelensky appealed for more assistance internationally in a defiant appearance in his capital Kyiv as Moscow's invasion entered its second week. One Pentagon official said that Russia has now sent nearly all of the troops it had gathered across the border into Ukraine.
Zelensky's Plea
There have been reports that Russian troops were gaining ground while their main point of entry was to the night, through Belarus. The Ukrainian president repeated his request for a NATO no-fly zone in order to protect his cities and his troops.
Zelensky said that he now had good communication lines with U.S. President Joe Biden and other international leaders. However, he lamented that the world had only increased its support of Ukraine after Russia ordered its troops to invade his country, as per the Daily Mail.
The leaders of Ukraine and the United States spoke by phone on Tuesday for more than half an hour, one White House official said. In a Twitter post, Zelensky confirmed that the phone call took place while his country was fighting against Russian forces.
In his post, Zelensky said that he and Biden discussed anti-Russian sanctions and defense assistance to Ukraine. The Ukrainian president added that the world must work together to stop the aggressor as soon as possible and expressed his gratitude for all the support worldwide.
According to Fox News, the two international leaders also talked about "ongoing deliveries of security assistance, economic support, and humanitarian aid. One topic in the discussion included Russia's attacks on civilians, including the bombing near the Babyn Yar Holocaust memorial, said White House authorities.
Russia-Ukraine War
In an interview on Tuesday, Zelensky noted that as long as Russia's aggression in Ukraine continues, there was little progress that could be made in talks between the two regions. He said that the first thing to do was communicate, arguing that everyone had to stop fighting and go back to before the invasion occurred.
The Ukrainian leader was asked whether or not he felt that his country was wasting time by trying to talk to Russia. In response, Zelensky said, "We'll see," as officials met for the first time on Monday since the beginning of the war last week.
Before Biden's speech in Congress on Tuesday, Zelensky had asked the American leader to impress upon his people the urgency and implications of Russia's invasion. The Ukrainian president said the Democrat is one of the leaders of the world and should help his citizens understand the situation better.
The Ukrainian leader reiterated calls for the U.S. and NATO to either put up the no-fly zone over Ukraine or deploy troops on the ground. Zelensky said that he had already made his plea with Western leaders, arguing that leaders should support democratic countries and work on helping them, CNN reported.
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