Mariupol was hit by heavy air strikes, the President of Ukraine said to fight to the end

“Three important summits are planned this week with G7, NATO and EU. New sanctions packages, new support. We will keep working and keep fighting to the end. Courage and openly. On all fronts. With full energy. With all our strength. We do not feel tired. We will rest after we win. And that scenario will certainly happen. out,” President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on March 22.

President Zelensky said that Ukraine is continuing to negotiate with Russia, but these negotiations still face many difficulties.

“We continue to work at different levels to make sure Russia believes that this devastating war must stop. We continue to have difficult negotiations. It is a challenge,” Zelensky said. added.

In his address to the Italian Parliament on March 22, President Zelensky also called on the European country to “strengthen sanctions against Russia”. He called for sanctions against “all Russians” involved in the campaign military in Ukraine, targeting their properties, real estate, yachts and bank accounts.

“I am sure that there will be new sanctions and I appreciate Italy’s support,” Zelensky said.

President Zelensky’s statement came in the context of the port city of Mariupol being subjected to intense air strikes, after the Ukrainian government rejected Russia’s request to surrender in this area.

Mariupol city council on March 22 accused the intense Russian air raids of turning Mariupol into “ashes”. Ukrainian officials say that bombardment and street fighting have rocked Mariupol.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Mariupol are believed to be trapped inside buildings, without access to food, water, electricity or heating.

“There is nothing left there,” Zelensky said in a speech to the Italian parliament.

Mariupol Deputy Mayor Sergei Orlov said that the city was in complete blockade and was not receiving humanitarian aid. Ukraine criticized Russia for obstructing convoys of food and essential supplies to Mariupol, as well as vehicles carrying people to evacuate the city.

“The city is under constant bombing, from 50 to 100 bombs dropped by planes every day. A lot of people are killed,” Mr. Orlov said.

Russia has not commented on the information given by the Ukrainian side. Moscow has repeatedly denied that it attacked civilians, insisting that the operation in Ukraine only targeted military facilities.

Mariupol, a strategic port city in the east, has become a flashpoint in Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine recently, when Moscow issued an ultimatum on March 21, demanding that Ukraine’s armed forces in Mariupol be taken down. weapons and surrender. However, President Zelensky stated that Ukraine would never surrender to an ultimatum. Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk also affirmed not to surrender to Russia’s demands.