Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described the situation in the Donbass as “hell” given the Russian war of aggression. The army continues to work on the liberation of the Kharkiv region, Zelenskyy said in his evening video address on Thursday. “But in the Donbass, the occupiers are trying to increase the pressure. It’s hell there, and that’s not an exaggeration,” the president continued.
Fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops continued, especially in eastern Ukraine in the Donbass. The command of Ukrainian forces in the region reported Thursday that 14 enemy attacks had been repelled. The information could not be verified. As a sign of the intensity of the fighting, numerous civilian deaths were once again recorded. According to the authorities, five people were killed in the Donetsk region alone.
Ukraine will be able to defend its independence, but neighboring Russia will always pose a threat, Zelensky said. “We will always think about protection. And we have to understand that there is no better security than the willingness of citizens to defend their own state,” said Zelenskyy on Thursday in an online conference with students and university management.
Ukrainian society has shown its resilience since the February 24 Russian attack. But the country also needs security guarantees from outside. As a political instrument, these would have to be well thought out and designed to last for decades. “We have to understand that Russia will always be there. And maybe it will always be a threat,” said the Ukrainian president.
For Ukraine, the Russian war of aggression means a budget deficit of around five billion US dollars (4.8 billion euros) every month. “In order to be able to survive in the war for freedom, we need quick and sufficient financial support,” says Zelenskyj.
Foreign partners of Ukraine should not see aid as expenses or gifts. “It’s your contribution to your own safety.” Ukraine protects other countries from war. Together we must ensure that Russia’s aggression is unsuccessful.
Source: Nachrichten
