‘Left Alone To Defend Our State’: Ukraine Prez Zelenskyy Amid Russian Invasion

"Who is ready to give Ukraine a guarantee of NATO membership? Everyone is afraid," Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

(Photo: PTI)

Video Producer: Shohini Bose

Video Editor: Sandeep Suman

While informing that 137 have died in the first day of fighting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday, 25 February, said that his country had been "left alone" to fight Russia after the Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a "military operation" in the Donbas region on Thursday.

In a video address, Zelenskyy said, "We have been left alone to defend our state...Who is ready to fight alongside us? I don't see anyone," news agency AFP reported.

Confirming that another 316 people had been wounded, Zelenskyy added, "All our border guards died a heroic death. But they have not surrendered. They will be awarded posthumously. Those who gave their lives for Ukraine will be remembered forever."

He added that he had contacted 27 leaders of European countries, and none of them had directly responded to Ukraine's request to join North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

"Who is ready to give Ukraine a guarantee of NATO membership? Everyone is afraid," he added.

After the first day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Zelenskyy said,

"What we've heard today are not just missile blasts, fighting, an the rumble of aircraft. This is the sound of a new iron curtain, which has come down and is closing Russia off from civilized world. Our national task is to make sure this curtain does not fall across our land."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

‘I Am Target Number One, My Family Is Target Number Two': Zelenskyy

In another video address, Zelensky said, "I remain in the capital. My family is in Ukraine. My children are here in Ukraine. We are not traitors, we are citizens of Ukraine. I don't have the right to say where they are. According to the information that we have, the enemy has marked me as enemy number one and my family as enemy number two."

He added, "They want to destroy Ukraine politically by taking down the head of state."

Zelenskyy also appealed to global leaders, saying that “if you don’t help us now, if you fail to offer a powerful assistance to Ukraine, tomorrow the war will knock on your door.”

Speaking to the President of European Union Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, Zelenskyy said that "not all possibilities for sanctions have been exhausted yet.The pressure on Russia must increase".

He further expressed gratitude for her decision on additional financial assistance.

Meanwhile, loud explosions were reported in Kyiv on Thursday night as Russian ground troops moved closer to the Ukrainian capital.

(With inputs from AFP.)