Ukraine ‘can’t win without help’, Zelensky’s urgent plea to the world

Ukraine cannot defeat Russia without support, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said during a visit to Oslo. The emotional plea comes as new aid from Kyiv’s main United States and European allies remains blocked.

Russia-Ukraine War: Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky attends a joint press conference.(AFP)

“You can’t win without help. But you can’t lose, because (all) you have (is) your country,” he said. The Ukrainian president also hailed the work of the military and pledged to bolster the country’s air defences.

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“It is important for people, it is important for cities and it is important for Ukraine,” he said, earlier, adding, “Russia has once again confirmed its title as a shameful country that releases rockets at night, hitting residential areas, kindergartens and energy facilities in winter.”

In Ukraine, a volley of Russian missiles wounded dozens of people and damaged a children’s hospital in the worst attack on Kyiv in months. News agency AFP reported that there were several explosions in Kyiv before dawn and air raid sirens sounded soon after that.

Ukraine’s air force said that it had downed all 10 missiles targeting the city and the health ministry said 53 people were wounded, including two children. Most injuries were caused by “glass shards, household items and the shock wave” as missile debris fell mostly in eastern parts of the city, the ministry said.

Ukraine’s interior minister Igor Klymenko said that a kindergarten building was also damaged.

Earlier this week, Zelensky also visited Washington where he attempted to convince a divided Congress to approve a new $60 billion aid package. US president Joe Biden said that the United States would “continue to supply Ukraine with critical weapons and equipment as long as we can.”

“I will not walk away from Ukraine,” he said, warning that a Ukrainian defeat would mean “would-be aggressors everywhere will be emboldened”.