In a rare interview Tuesday afternoon, Zelensky said that as Moscow’s attacks on Ukrainian cities continue, little progress can be made in talks between the two nations.
“You have to talk first. Everyone must stop fighting and leave [back] so far, where it started five, six days ago, “Zelenski said.” It’s important to stop bombing people and then we can move on and sit at the negotiating table. “
Asked if he thought Ukraine was wasting time talking to Russia, he said: “We’ll see.” Officials from both sides met for the first time Monday since the Russian invasion began last week.
Ahead of Biden’s speech to Congress on Tuesday, Zelensky called on the president to instill in Americans the urgency and consequences of the Russian invasion.
“He is one of the world leaders and it is very important for the people of the United States to understand (that) despite the fact that the war is in Ukraine … [a] war for the values of democracy, freedom, “Zelenski said.
Zelensky reiterated calls for the United States and NATO to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine or to put boots on the ground. “I have already addressed and (spoken) to some Western leaders with this request, because I believe that leaders should support democracies and they should help them.
“When we talk about no-fly zones, we look back in history … and that doesn’t mean we have to involve another country in the war. And, frankly, you know, everyone is involved in the war now. “
“I’ve talked to Biden many times,” Zelenski said. “And I have told them many times that Ukraine will resist and fight stronger than anyone else, but we will not be able to fight Russia alone.
“Therefore, if someone wants to help us, everyone must act quickly,” Zelenski added. “This is the moment.”
US and NATO allies have helped Ukraine by sharing weapons, military equipment and intelligence, while imposing dramatic sanctions on Russia. But so far, the alliance has made it clear that it has no plans to send troops to non-NATO Ukraine.
Zelenski also predicts problems in NATO member states if Russia takes control of his country. “If Ukraine fails, then all these troops will be on your borders, Poland, Lithuania … and you will face bigger problems. There will be other provocations,” he said.
“The world cannot lose Ukraine”
As CNN and Reuters met with Zelensky in his bunker in Kyiv, the capital – along with cities in Ukraine – was preparing for a renewed and intensified attack by Russian forces.
The missiles were fired near a television tower on Tuesday afternoon, hours after Russia warned of “high-precision” strikes on other facilities linked to Ukraine’s security services. The missile attack destroyed the broadcasting hardware, raising fears that Russia is trying to destroy the city’s communications infrastructure, Ukraine’s interior ministry said.
Zelensky told CNN on Tuesday that Russia was indiscriminately attacking Ukrainian citizens and historical sites.
“As you can see, no one pays much attention to the goals. We see children being killed … We are defending our right to life,” he said, adding that Moscow was “firing its missiles at ancient Kyiv, the heart of Kyiv.”
He spoke triumphantly about Ukraine’s resistance and said of the Russian soldiers: “They have no idea what [are] right. They do not know our streets. They do not know this people. They do not understand our philosophy. Our mentality, our aspirations, what kind of people they have here, they know nothing.
“They were just sent to kill and die,” Zelenski said.
As missiles hit Kyiv on Tuesday, a 40-kilometer convoy of Russian tanks, armored vehicles and towed artillery headed for the Ukrainian capital, according to satellite images from Maxar Technologies, as the military stepped up attacks on other key cities.
The attacks also hit Ukraine’s second city, Kharkiv. More than 20 people were injured, including a child, in an explosion at a government building there, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said in a Telegram post Tuesday.
Russia’s actions on Tuesday marked a far less restrained bombing, raising fears that more civilians could be affected by strikes. The UN says at least 102 civilians have been killed across the country and 304 injured, although those figures probably underestimate the actual number.
Zelensky received global praise for his response to the invasion after rejecting evacuation proposals and instead delivering frequent messages to Ukrainians as Kyiv came under Russian attack.
Earlier Tuesday, he received a standing ovation for an emotional address to the European Parliament via video link, telling delegates: “We are fighting for our lives.”
Asked by CNN about his transformation from a comedian to a world-famous military leader, Zelensky said: “It’s very serious, it’s not a movie … I’m not iconic, I think Ukraine is iconic.”
“Ukraine is the heart of Europe and now I think Europe sees Ukraine as something special to this world,” he added. “That’s why [the] the world cannot lose this special thing. “
The Ukrainian leader looked tired and stressed, but was friendly with CNN and Reuters. He said he had not seen his family for three days; Asked what his typical days were, he said, “Work and sleep.”
Matthew Chance reports from Kyiv; Rob Picheta writes from London.