Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has delivered an emotional message to the "citizens of the world" as Russia's invasion of the nation continues.
On Sunday - following a "harsh" night of unrest throughout Ukraine - President Zelensky said that Russian military forces had bombarded residential areas. "They are fighting against everyone and everything alive," Zelensky said.
Per CNN, Zelensky added:
"Ukrainians have manifested the courage to defend their homeland and save Europe and its values from a Russian onslaught.
"This is not just Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This is the beginning of a war against Europe, against European structures, against democracy, against basic human rights, against a global order of law, rules and peaceful coexistence."
Zelensky then called for "all citizens of the world, friends of Ukraine, peace and democracy," to join Ukraine in their fight against Russia.
"Anyone who wants to join the defense of Ukraine, Europe, and the world can come and fight side by side with the Ukrainians against the Russian war criminals," Zelensky said, adding that those who wish to join forces with Ukrainians contact the Defense Attache of the Embassy of Ukraine in their countries.
The president's comments hark back to his public address on Saturday, in which he said: "Every friend of Ukraine who wants to join Ukraine in defending the country please come over, we will give you weapons."
His words were echoed by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who tweeted the following message on Sunday: "Foreigners willing to defend Ukraine and world order as part of the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine, I invite you to contact foreign diplomatic missions of Ukraine in your respective countries.
"Together we defeated Hitler, and we will defeat Putin, too."
Per the New York Times, Zelensky also rejected the offer to have talks with Russia in Belarus - stating that, due to the fact Russia had carried out parts of its invasion from there, it was not neutral territory.
"Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest, Istanbul, Baku, we offered all of them to the Russian side and we will accept any other city in a country that hasn't been used for launching missiles," Zelensky said. "Only then the talks could be honest and put an end to the war."
