“We know what needs to be done” – Zelenskiy promises “freedom” to Ukrainians

new York Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Russia to engage in serious and honest talks on a peace settlement. Meanwhile, fighting continues in many places.

The military situation

The Chernobayevka airport near Cherson in southern Ukraine is still the focus of bitter fighting, according to the Ukrainian account. “We met them there again,” wrote Oleksiy Arestovich, adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office chief, on Facebook early Saturday morning, referring to the Russian troops.

The Ukrainian armed forces attacked the Russian military at this airport for the sixth time and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy there. In a series of local counterattacks and attacks with combat drones, several dozen Russian combat helicopters and, most recently, a command post with high-ranking officers have been destroyed since the end of February. This information could not be independently verified.

Meanwhile, Ukraine lost access to the Sea of ​​Azov during the Russian siege of the key port city of Mariupol, according to its own general staff on Friday evening. Russian troops continued to attempt to storm the city itself and fighting continued, sources said.

There are also no signs of relaxation in the capital Kyiv. At least 50,000 civilians were recently evacuated from combat zones north and northwest of the city. Now the authorities tried to evacuate other, more dangerous hotspots.

“The occupying forces do not allow us to continue the evacuation from the hotspots,” said Oleksiy Kuleba, head of the Kyiv region’s humanitarian staff, on Saturday night on Facebook. “But despite the enemy’s cynicism, we continue to do everything we can to protect the lives of our people.”

In consultation with the Russian side, so-called escape corridors have repeatedly been opened in recent days, allowing civilians to leave embattled cities and towns. The agreements were not always kept, and civilians came under fire again and again.

The humanitarian situation

The humanitarian situation in Ukraine appears to be steadily deteriorating. The EU Commission is now even warning of an impending famine in the country. “People in the besieged cities are exposed to apocalyptic conditions – no food, no water, no medical care and no way out,” said Janez Lenarcic, the EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Protection in the “Welt am Sonntag”.

The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine is already critical, but it could get worse. “This ruthless invasion began more than three weeks ago, but we are already beginning to see famine developing.”

A special focus is once again on the port city of Mariopol, which has epitomized the horror of the Russian invasion of Ukraine since the beginning of the war. Eyewitnesses from the city report that supermarkets have been looted and that people are already starving.

So far, essential supplies have always made it into the city, says Lenarcic. “The big problem is access. It is an obligation to provide humanitarian access without any obstacle.”

The European Commission is expanding its humanitarian aid with local partners, the EU Commissioner promised. “But as long as the fighting continues and there is no ceasefire, the people who need life-saving aid cannot be reached.”

Ukraine’s President Zelensky has accused Russia of “deliberately” trying to cause a humanitarian catastrophe. This should be achieved by blocking the largest cities in order to force Ukraine to cooperate, he said in a video message on Saturday night. It was filmed in Kyiv with the Presidential Office in the lantern light behind him.

On Friday, 9,000 people managed to leave the besieged city of Mariupol. So far, more than 180,000 people have reached safety through humanitarian corridors.

The situation at the peace talks

While fighting continues, negotiations between Russia and Ukraine continue. It remains difficult to paint a clear picture of the progress of the negotiations. Moscow speaks of recognizable compromises – especially on the question of Ukraine’s neutral status. Kyiv apparently does not share this assessment so far.

>> Read here: Scenarios for the end of the Ukraine war: A long road to the ceasefire

In his video message that night, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy again called on Russia to negotiate seriously and honestly. “Meaningful peace and security negotiations for Ukraine, honest negotiations and without delays are the only chance for Russia to lessen the damage from its own mistakes.” If Ukraine’s territorial integrity is not restored, Russia will face “serious losses” suffer.

“It is time to establish territorial unity and justice for Ukraine,” he said. “Otherwise Russia will suffer such losses that it will take generations to recover.”

Zelensky reiterated his call for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on a peaceful solution. “It’s time to talk,” he said. The Kremlin has so far rejected this, wanting to create content for such a meeting that corresponds to its own ideas beforehand in the negotiations with Kyiv.

The warring parties have been conducting negotiations on this since February 28, most recently via video link almost daily. In addition to Ukraine’s neutrality, Russia is striving to demilitarize the country, among other things. In addition to an immediate ceasefire, Ukraine is demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops and subsequent concrete security guarantees.

The President of the Ukrainian Parliament, Ruslan Stefanschuk, also recently continued to emphasize his country’s red lines in the negotiations with Russia: the territorial integrity of Ukrainian and state independence. These demands are “unchangeable”.

More on the Ukraine war:

Zelensky again called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet in person. “It’s time to meet, to talk,” he said. “I want to be heard by everyone, especially in Moscow.”

Zelensky noted that 200,000 people gathered at a Moscow stadium for a rally by Putin on Friday. That is roughly the number of soldiers sent by Putin to the war against Ukraine. He asked his audience to imagine the stadium filled with the thousands of soldiers killed, wounded or maimed in the fighting.

What does the day bring?

Peace rallies and demonstrations against the war in Ukraine are planned in several cities in Germany. US Secretary of Defense Austin is continuing his visit to Bulgaria and wants to talk to Prime Minister Kiril Petkov about the situation in Ukraine, among other things.

More: Still a civilian yesterday – “Today I sent 20 soldiers to the front”