Ukraine President Vladimir Zelensky said Friday his country had been left on its own to fight Russia after the Kremlin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"We ended up defending our country alone. Who is ready to fight alongside us? I don’t see anyone," he said in an emotional video address to the nation, posted on his Telegram channel Friday night.
In his words, no one was ready to guarantee that Ukraine would eventually become a NATO member.
"Everyone is afraid, everyone is silent," he said. "They replied that <…> they are with us, but are not ready to make us members of the alliance."
In an address to Ukrainians, Zelensky did not specifically say Russian forces had entered Kiev, but his reference to “sabotage groups” was interpreted as a sign that the city was in peril.
Ukrainian president said in his address released early on February 25 that 137 civilians and military personnel have been killed so far in the Russian invasion of his country.
The president said all border guards on Zmiinyi (Snake) Island in the Odesa region were killed.
Ukraine’s border guard service earlier in the day reported that the island was taken by Russian forces.
At the same time, the Ukrainian leader thanked partners for support.
"I’m thankful to every country, which is helping Ukraine by deeds, not just by words," he said.
