President Volodymyr Zelenskyj says he is willing to drop a NATO application in exchange for a ceasefire, Russian withdrawal and guarantees for Ukraine’s security.
– It is a compromise for everyone. For the West, which does not know what to do with us in the NATO case, for Ukraine, which wants security guarantees, and for Russia, which does not want a further expansion of NATO, Zelenskyj said in an interview with Ukrainian TV channels.
Previously, the president gently opened to discuss Ukraine’s desire to join NATO.
Zelensky also reiterated his call for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Without a meeting with Putin, it is impossible to understand whether Russia wants to stop the war at all,” he said.
He further added that Kyiv is ready to discuss the status of Crimea and the eastern Donbas region, which is controlled by Russian-backed separatists, after a ceasefire is in place and steps have been taken to provide security guarantees.
– It is empty where they should have had a heart
Volodymyr Zelenskyj also claims that Ukraine has managed to keep the Russian forces in check, reports the BBC.
He says Russian planes have been shot down by Ukrainian forces in the Kharkiv region.
It appears in a new video message that Zelenskyj shared on Monday night.
There he also accuses the Russian soldiers of lacking heart.
– It is empty where they should have had a heart, he said.
He also said that only grief awaits Russian soldiers facing civilian Ukrainians.
Claims to have averted attempted murder
Ukrainian intelligence claims to have arrested a group of Russian saboteurs who were tasked with killing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The group of 25 men was led by an agent from Russia’s secret service and was arrested in the border area between Ukraine, Slovakia and Hungary, according to the Ukrainian news agency Unian.
The plan was allegedly to pretend to be members of the Ukrainian armed forces to get to the capital.
The messages cannot be verified independently.
The Ukrainian government has repeatedly claimed that Russian groups have tried to reach Kyiv to kill Zelensky.
Biden: Putin has been pushed into a corner
US President Joe Biden said in a speech to US business leaders on Monday that Russia’s president has now been pushed into a corner and is considering using chemical and biological weapons in Ukraine.
He warns of a strong reaction from the West if that should happen.
Biden noted that Russia has recently accused the United States of stockpiling chemical and biological weapons in Europe.
– Owners and operators must speed up the work of locking their digital doors, says President Biden about the increased danger of Russian cyber attacks.
Photo: LEAH MILLIS / Reuters
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– It is simply not true. I guarantee you that. Russia also claims that Ukraine has biological and chemical weapons. It is a clear sign that he is considering using both, Biden said of Putin.
The risk of Russian cyber attacks is increasing
The danger of Russian cyber attacks on American companies is increasing, warns President Joe Biden.
– If you have not already done so, I ask companies in the private sector to strengthen the cyber defense immediately, says President Biden.
Biden says they have intelligence that shows that the Russian authorities are increasingly investigating the possibilities for cyber attacks, among other things in response to the sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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