Ukraine President echoes Churchill in defiant speech to UK MPs
UKRAINE: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, invoking the wartime defiance of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, vowed Tuesday to “fight to the end” in a historic virtual speech to British lawmakers.
“We will not give up and we will not lose. We will fight to the end, at sea, in the air. We will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost, in the forests, in the fields, on the shores, in the streets,” Zelensky said.
The embattled leader, in a khaki T-shirt and seated near a Ukrainian flag, spoke by video link.
The address was a historic intervention aimed at obtaining more support for his country after the Russian invasion.
He was greeted by a standing ovation from Parliamentary members of the United Kingdom.
Becoming the first foreign leader to address the House of Commons, Zelensky said that dozens of children have died in the fighting.
“These are the children that could have lived, but these people have taken them away from us.”
Zelensky repeated his call for a “no-fly zone” over Ukraine. The United States and NATO allies have so far refused the request because it would bring them into direct conflict with Russia. Following the speech, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised Zelensky.
“At this moment, ordinary Ukrainians are defending their homes and their families against a brutal assault. Their actions are inspiring millions by their courage and their devotion,” Johnson said.
– THE STRAITS TIMES