Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has announced a new tactic in his nation's resistance against Russian invaders.
During a speech in Kyiv, Zelensky announced that Ukrainian prisoners with military experience will be released from custody if they agree to join the fight against Russias troops.
Per iNews and The Independent, the president said that prisoners would be given the chance to "compensate for their guilt" by defending their nation.
"Under martial law, Ukrainians with real combat experience will be released from custody and will be able to compensate for their guilt in the hottest spots of the conflict," Zelensky said.
"We have taken a decision which is not easy from the moral point of view, but which is useful from the point of view of our defenses," he continued, adding: "The key is now defense."
Zelensky has been widely praised by leaders and media outlets across the globe for his response to Russian president Vladimir Putin's aggressive military operation in Ukraine, which he launched last week.
His speech in Kyiv was made as a Ukrainian delegation met with Russian representatives at the Belarusian border to open peace talks.
After announcing that prisoners would be given the chance to fight, Zelensky went on to address Russian soldiers. Imploring them to lay down their weapons, he asked troops to "save your lives and leave."
"Abandon your equipment. Get out of here. Don’t believe your commanders. Don’t believe your propagandists. Just save your lives," he said per iNews.
Zelensky claimed that the conflict had been damaging for Russia's military, saying that 4,500 Russian soldiers had already been killed.
He also paid tribute to the tragic loss of Ukrainian children, saying that 16 have been killed and 45 wounded since fighting broke out several days ago.
The President then addressed the European Union, urging them to grant his nation immediate membership via a new "special procedure".
"Our goal is to be together with all Europeans and, most importantly, to be on an equal footing. I'm sure it’s fair. I'm sure it’s possible," he added.
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