Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian president said his country’s defense against the Russian invasion was at a “turning point” and again pushed the United States for more help hours after Kremlin forces refused to pledge to restrict some of their operations. Russian forces bombed areas around Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv and intensified attacks in other parts of the country on Wednesday, adding to already deep doubts about any progress towards ending the punitive war. The talks between Ukraine and Russia were to be repeated on Friday via video, according to the head of the Ukrainian delegation, David Arahamia. Meanwhile, a delegation of Ukrainian parliamentarians visited Washington to press the United States for more aid, saying its nation needed more military equipment, more financial aid and tougher sanctions against Russia. “We must expel Russian soldiers from our land and for that we need all, all possible weapons,” Ukrainian MP Anastasia Radina told a news conference at the Ukrainian embassy. The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy referred the case directly to US President Joe Biden. “If we really fight for freedom and the defense of democracy together, then we have the right to ask for help at this difficult turning point. Tanks, aircraft, artillery systems. “Freedom must not be armed worse than tyranny,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address to the nation, which he delivered in the dark outside the dim presidential offices in Kyiv. He thanked the United States for additional $ 500 million in aid announced Wednesday. There seemed to be no belief that a solution would emerge soon between Russia and Ukraine, especially after the appearance of the Russian army and its most recent attacks. Russia said Tuesday it would scaling up operations near Kyiv and Chernihiv to “boost mutual trust and create the conditions for further negotiations.” reported that Russian bombings hit homes, shops, libraries and other political venues in or near these areas. Russian troops have also stepped up their attacks in the Donbas area to the east and around the town of Izyum, which is on a key route to Donbas, following the redeployment of units from other areas, the Ukrainian side said. Olexander Lomako, secretary of the Chernihiv city council, said the Russian announcement turned out to be “a complete lie”. “At night they did not decrease, but conversely they increased the intensity of military action,” Lomako said. Five weeks after the invasion that left thousands dead on both sides, the number of Ukrainians who fled the country exceeded 4 million, half of whom are children, according to the United Nations. Zelensky said that the ongoing negotiations with Russia were only “words without specific details”. “We know this is not a withdrawal, but the consequences of the expulsion,” Zelensky said of Russia’s commitment. “But we also see that Russia is now concentrating its forces on new strikes in Donbas and we are preparing for that.” Zelensky also said he had recalled Ukraine’s ambassadors to Georgia and Morocco, implying that they had not done enough to persuade those countries to support Ukraine and punish Russia for the invasion. “With all due respect, if there are no weapons, no sanctions, no restrictions on Russian companies, then please look for another job,” he said.
