Ukraine President Volodomyr Zelensky also urged Russia to stop bombing the cities
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky today said that he was not iconic, but Ukraine was. The Ukrainian President has emerged as a formidable leader for his spirited defiance in the face of the Russian's offensive.
Asked about his transition from a comic actor to a wartime leader during a CNN interview, Zelensky said, "It's very serious, it's not a movie... I'm not iconic, I think Ukraine is iconic."
Volodymyr Zelensky, 44, is a comic from Ukrainian TV, who is now heading a nation under attack. Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine last Thursday despite weeks of diplomatic wrangling to avoid the worst-case scenario.
The Russia-Ukraine war is the gravest standoff between the Kremlin and Western powers since the end of the Cold War more than three decades ago.
Since launching an offensive last week, Russia has failed to make early gains or capture cities. Russia maintains that it is carrying out a "special military operation" in Ukraine.
While Ukraine has stood alone on the battlefield, it has pressed Europe to recognise that its own security is tied to that of the West.
Civilians in Ukraine have joined the fight against Russia
Urging western leaders to intervene, Zelensky said that Ukraine is at the heart of Europe and the World cannot lose something this special.
The Ukrainian leader has also urged Russia to stop bombing the cities so that the two sides could begin meaningful talks on a ceasefire.
Zelensky, who has refused offers to leave the Ukrainian capital as Russian forces advanced, also said Ukraine would demand legally binding security guarantees if NATO shut the door on Ukraine's membership prospects.