Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky holds a joint news conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Lithuanian Pre...

Ukrainian president pleads for peace amid increasing Russian threat

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — With the Russian threat growing, the Ukrainian president is pleading for peace and says Russian President Vladimir Putin would not accept his call.

In an emotional address to the nation late Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected Moscow’s claims that his country poses a threat to Russia and lamented that a Russian invasion would cost tens of thousands of lives.

“The people of Ukraine and the government of Ukraine want peace,” he said in Russian, hours after declaring a nationwide state of emergency. But if the nation comes under an attack, “we will fight back.”

Zelensky said he tried to call Putin, but the Kremlin remained silent.

We're not going anywhere.

Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on!