Terming Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "beast" who will never be satisfied, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday (local time) warned Western countries that the ongoing war will not stop at Ukraine and will affect the rest of the world as well.
"Everyone thinks that we are far away from America or Canada. No, we are in this zone of freedom. And when the limits of rights and freedoms are being violated and stepped on, then you have to protect us. Because we will come first. You will come second. Because the more this beast will eat, he wants more, more, and more," CNN quoted Zelenskyy as saying during an interview on ABC World News Tonight with David Muir.
Reiterating his appeal to secure the airspace of Ukraine, Zelenskyy said, "We cannot allow Russia to be active there only, because they're bombing us, they are shelling us, they are sending missiles, helicopters, jet fighters -- a lot of things. We don't control our sky."
Zelenskyy further said that he believes US President Joe Biden "can do more" to stop the war. "I am sure he can and I would like to believe that. He is capable of doing that," reported the media outlet quoting him.
The Ukrainian President's remarks came as NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday outrightly rejected a no-fly zone over Ukraine, and warned that such a move could provoke widespread war in Europe with Russia.
Reacting to Biden's commitment to keeping US troops out of the conflict, Zelenskyy said that missiles were hitting civilian structures including universities and pediatric clinics in Ukraine. If a missile is flying overhead, "I think there is no other answer ... they need to be shot down. You have to preserve lives," he said, according to CNN.
Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions, Donetsk and Luhansk as independent entities.
( With inputs from ANI )
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