Kyiv: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday called on his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to “sit down” with him, saying it was “the only way to stop this war”.
“We are not attacking Russia and we do not plan to attack it. What do you want from us? Leave our land,” Zelensky told media persons, in a direct address to Putin.
“Sit down with me. Just not 30 metres away like with (French President Emmanuel) Macron,” the Ukrainian leader said, referring to Putin receiving world leaders at a now-famously enormous long table.
He also urged the West on Thursday to increase military aid to Ukraine, saying Russia would advance on the rest of Europe otherwise.
“If you do not have the power to close the skies, then give me planes!” Zelensky told a press conference. “If we are no more then, God forbid, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia will be next,” he said. “Believe me.”
At least 22 people have been killed in airstrikes in Ukraine’s Chernihiv region, the Ukrainian emergency services said on Thursday as the Russian invasion entered its second week with several cities witnessing heavy shelling.
ALSO READ: Russia-Ukraine war: ‘Leave our city, stop shelling civilians…’
This comes as the second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine began in Belarus with Kyiv planning to discuss setting up humanitarian corridors before moving on to other issues.
Putin earlier in the day vowed to continue fighting against what he described as “nationalists” in Ukraine, according to a readout of a call with French leader Emmanuel Macron available with media.
India Blooms News Service
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