Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Russia’s actions in the city of Mariupol a “crime against humanity” on Tuesday, while addressing the Danish parliament over a video call.
“The city of Mariupol is blocked by the Russian army and more than 100,000 people are still there. They have to melt snow to get water, there is no way to deliver humanitarian aid — everything is blocked. More than 90% of the buildings were destroyed,” she said. “What Russian troops are doing in Mariupol is a crime against humanity.”
The president’s statements came at the same time that a new round of negotiations with delegations from both countries was taking place in Turkey.
Zelensky also declared that “the intensity and brutality of the military actions reached a level higher than the Second World War” and that the aim of the war would be “to destroy the basis for a normal life in Ukraine”.
The Ukrainian president further urged Europe to increase sanctions against Russia, blocking trade, halting oil purchases and closing ports to Russian ships, and urged both governments and companies to help rebuild their country when they can. “the victory”, he mentioned.
Russia, which invaded Ukraine on February 24, denies attacking civilians and blames Ukraine for repeated failures to agree on safe humanitarian corridors for trapped residents.
In the case of Mariupol, the port city it is seen as strategic for Russian invaders to create a bridge between Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014, and two separatist enclaves in eastern Ukraine.
*With information from Reuters
Source: CNN Brasil
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