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Ukraine ended up defending itself on its own — Zelensky

In his words, no one was ready to guarantee that Ukraine would eventually become a NATO member
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky
© Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP

KIEV, February 25. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said his country ended up defending itself on its own.

"We ended up defending our country alone. Who is ready to fight alongside us? I don’t see anyone," he said in a video address to the nation, posted on his Telegram channel on Friday night.

In his words, no one was ready to guarantee that Ukraine would eventually become a NATO member.

"Everyone is afraid, everyone is silent," he said. "They replied that <…> they are with us, but are not ready to make us members of the alliance."

At the same time, the Ukrainian leader thanked partners for support.

"I’m thankful to every country, which is helping Ukraine by deeds, not just by words," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address on Thursday morning that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in order to protect people "who have been suffering from abuse and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years." The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories.

The Russian Defense Ministry reassured that Russian troops are not targeting Ukrainian cities, but are limited to surgically striking and incapacitating Ukrainian military infrastructure. There are no threats whatsoever to the civilian population.