Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Thursday that Russia’s invasion aims “to break Ukraine and to break the whole of Europe through Ukraine.”

Zelensky informed his counterparts through a joint press conference in Kyiv with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis that Russia’s aggression on Ukraine was an assault on all of Europe.

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“Russia wants to demonstrate that united Europe is unable to be effective and that European values do not work for protecting freedom. We can and we should break this scenario and prove them that Europe will continue to be free, democratic and … united,” he said.  

Zelensky stated that enabling Ukrainian inclusion into the European Union is the best way to demonstrate “our common and strong position,” adding that Ukraine’s status as a nominee for EU membership “can amplify freedom in Europe historically and become one of the key European decisions of the first third of the twenty-first century.”

Ukraine, according to Zelensky, is ready to work towards full EU membership.

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“We understand that the path to the European Union is really a path and it is not one step. But this path must begin, and we are ready to work so that our state is transformed into a full member of the European Union, and Ukrainians have already earned the right to embark on this path,” he clarified.

To confront Russian aggression, Ukraine’s president has urged EU leaders to grant his country fast-track admission through a shorter procedure.

According to Zelensky, the total number of Russian missiles fired against civilians in Ukraine has “already reached 3,000 this month,” and the sooner Ukraine receives more advanced weapons from the West, the sooner it would be able to put an end to the Russian attacks.

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“Each batch of such supplies equals rescued Ukrainians. And every day of delaying or postponing decisions is a chance for the Russian military to kill Ukrainians or a chance to destroy our cities. There is a direct connection: The more powerful weapons we get, the faster we can liberate our people and liberate our land,” Zelensky stated.