J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky invoked the fear of the September 11 assaults to plead with the Biden administration to assist implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine and cease Russia’s brutal conflict.
In an emotional handle to Congress on Wednesday, Zelensky stated Russia’s aggression in Ukraine ought to ring a bell with all Individuals, because the relentless bombing and missile strikes in opposition to Ukrainian civilians aren't any completely different than the terrorist assaults that shook the U.S. in 2001.
“Keep in mind September 11, a horrible day in 2001, when evil tried to show your cities into battlefields, when harmless individuals had been attacked... Our nation is experiencing the identical on daily basis, proper now, each evening, for 3 weeks now,” he stated.
“Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky right into a supply of dying for hundreds of individuals. Russian troops have already fired practically 1,000 missiles at Ukraine, numerous bombs, they use drones to kill us with precision. This can be a terror that Europe has not seen for 80 years, and we're asking for a solution to this terror from the entire world. Is it an excessive amount of to ask for a no-fly zone over Ukraine to avoid wasting individuals?”
He stated “if that's an excessive amount of to ask,” Ukraine can be in want of fighter jets.
To actually convey residence his message, the chief confirmed lawmakers a gut-wrenching video of scenes on the bottom in Ukraine. The video featured graphic footage of civilians struck down by missile fireplace, together with numerous youngsters.
Zelensky famous that whereas he's 45 years previous, he feels as if his life has stopped as a result of conflict.
“It stopped when the hearts of greater than 100 youngsters stopped beating. I see no sense in life if it can not cease these deaths,” he stated, because the dying toll of kids in Ukraine now stands at greater than 100.
Ukrainian authorities stated Wednesday that a mean of 5 youngsters a day had been being killed by Vladimir Putin’s troops.
“Immediately the Ukrainian persons are defending not solely Ukraine, we're combating for the values of Europe and the world,” he stated, begging with the U.S. to reside as much as its fame because the chief of the free world.
Addressing Biden straight in English, Zelensky stated: “You're the chief of your nice nation, I want you to be the chief of the world. Being the chief of the world means to be the chief of peace.”
All through the previous 21 days of Russian troops bombarding Ukraine in a number of cities, Zelensky has repeatedly referred to as on the West to do extra to cease the aggression.
In an handle to the Canadian parliament on Tuesday, he obtained a standing ovation for a robust speech during which he pleaded with world leaders to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine to cease Russian air assaults.
“I would love you to know and I would love you to really feel this,” Zelensky stated. “What number of extra cruise missiles need to fall on our cities till you make this [no-fly zone] occur?”
Whereas Ukraine has already obtained substantial quantities of floor weaponry and shoulder-fired missiles from its Western allies, a no-fly zone has broadly been seen by U.S. and NATO officers as a dangerous escalation of the conflict.