Presiden Volodymyr Zelenskiy: Ukraina Siap Perang? Ya!

Ukraine Ukraine dalam Peringatan Hari Tentara Perbatasan. (Wikimedia Commons / Administration of the President of Ukraine)

JAKARTA - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to come to Donbass in East Ukraine to hold talks with him, to end the conflict and ease tensions between the two countries.

Issued the invitation in a video speech on Tuesday, April 20 evening local time, Zelenskiy also urged Western countries that support him to provide a clear signal regarding readiness to support Ukraine in the event of a deadlock with Russia.

"Mr Putin, I am ready to go a step further and invite you to meet anywhere in Donbass, Ukraine, where there is a war," Zelenskiy said.

Kyiv and Moscow blame each other for escalating clashes in Donbass, where Ukrainian forces are fighting Russian-backed forces in a conflict that Ukraine says has killed 14,000 people since 2014.

Ukraine, along with NATO and a number of Western allies, accuse Russia of increasing provocative troops on Ukraine's eastern border and in Crimea. On the other hand, Russia accuses the United States and NATO of provocative activities in the Black Sea region.

Ukraine also urged NATO countries to accept them in a military alliance. In addition, Ukraine also asked the European Union to impose new economic sanctions on Russia.

"Our citizens need a clear signal, in the eighth year of the war, a country which is a shield for Europe at the cost of its life, will receive support not only as partners from the stands, but as players on the same team, directly on the pitch, shoulder to shoulder," he continued. .

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy added that Ukraine wants to end the conflict through diplomacy. However, be ready to defend yourself if attacked.

"Does Ukraine want war? No. But is Ukraine ready for war? Yes !," he concluded.