President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky warns that Russian troops “will move to even larger operations” in eastern Ukraine, saying that his forces will be ready and “respond.”
Speaking during a nightly video call late Sunday, Zelensky said the next few days would be as crucial as any in the Six-Week War.
He also said in an interview with CBS “60 Minutes” on Sunday night that Ukraine’s survival depends on increased arms supplies to the United States, and that he gave a list of what Ukraine needs, US President Joe Biden.
“He has a list,” Zelensky said. “President Biden can go down in history as a man who stood shoulder to shoulder with the Ukrainian people who won and chose the right to have their own country. (It) also depends on him. ”
European Union foreign ministers will meet on Monday to discuss another round of sanctions against Russia.
In Moscow, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nechamer is visiting Russian leader Vladimir Putin, the first such visit by a European leader since Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine in late February.
On Monday, Biden is holding virtual talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As the United States seeks to put pressure on Russia through sanctions, including against the country’s key energy sector, India has taken a neutral stance, continuing to buy Russian oil and gas while abstaining from voting to exclude Russia from the UN Human Rights Council.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement Sunday that Biden was using the meeting to “discuss the effects of Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine and mitigate its destabilizing impact on world food supplies and commodity markets.”
FILE – White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki speaks at a press briefing at the White House on April 1, 2022 in Washington.
The UK Defense Ministry said Monday that Russian troops continue shelling Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine, and that Ukrainian forces are “repelling several attacks that have led to the destruction of Russian tanks, vehicles and artillery.”
A statement from the ministry expressed concern about “Russia’s continued dependence on unguided bombs” when more indiscriminate attacks pose a higher risk to civilians.
The conflict has forced about a quarter of Ukraine’s 44 million people to flee their homes, and the United Nations says more than 4.5 million refugees have fled the country.
New Zealand announced on Monday that it is sending additional aid to Ukraine’s military operations, including a military transport plane and 50 support staff to help move equipment to distribution centers in Europe, from where it could be transported by land to Ukraine.
New Zealand sends a Hercules plane to Europe, staff
Certain information for this report came from the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
