In a speech to the British parliament, the Ukrainian president thanked Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has sought to play a prominent role in supporting Ukraine against Russia, for the assistance he has already provided, but said Britain and other Western countries should do more and pressure Russia with more sanctions. He asked these countries to consider Russia a “terrorist state.”
“The question for us now is to be or not to be,” Zelensky told parliament via video link.
He added, “We will not surrender and we will not lose. We will fight to the end, in the sea and in the air, we will continue to fight for our land whatever the cost. We will fight in the forests, in the fields, on the beaches and in the streets.”
He continued, “Please increase the sanctions pressure on this country (Russia), please recognize that this country is a terrorist state, please make sure that the Ukrainian sky is safe … Please make sure that you do what needs to be done.”
Zelensky has been addressing his people and the world from Kyiv regularly since the start of the Russian military operation in his country 12 days ago.