Ukraine President Zelensky Is Ready For War With Russia And Will Fight To Last Man

By Donald Standeford, Correspondent
Date Published: 2021-04-22 11:25AM UTC
Last Modified: 2021-05-03 11:22PM PST

UKRAINE - The President of the Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has declared that he would "stand to the last man" if war erupts between Russia and the Ukraine. He added "Does Ukraine want war? No. Is it ready for it? Yes."

During his address to his country he went on to say "Our principle is simple: Ukraine does not start a war first, but Ukraine will always stand to the last man."

Speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin, he asked the Russian president to meet him in Donbass, the battlefield where fighting has been raging on since 2014 and stated "It is impossible to bring peace on a tank. I am ready to invite you to meet anywhere in the Ukrainian Donbass where there is war".

On Thursday, Russia carried out military "show of force" exercises in Crimea, supervised personally by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Shoigu flew a helicopter over his forces on the ground to inspect their readiness level.

Meanwhile in Moscow, Putin received the invitation from the President of the Ukraine to address the growing conflict. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Preskov replied "If the president considers it necessary, he will reply himself. I have nothing to say on that now".