Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says he admires President Joe Biden's leadership for sanctioning Russia, but added, "Please don't stop."
"Don't trust Putin. Putin understands only strength and unity and Putin goes as far as we together allow him to go," he told Newsmax TV's Sarah Williamson during an exclusive interview from Ukraine.
"Don't be afraid of Putin. Ukraine is not afraid of Putin, and we have stopped him. … We demonstrated that we could beat Putin. So, be shoulder to shoulder with us. Please, don't use the bureaucratic machine to postpone or to delay jet-fly supplies, anti-aircraft supply, anti-tank supply, ammunition supply. We need it now. Every single hour postponed, Ukraine pays for that with Ukrainian blood and the life of Ukrainian civilians. Please, don't allow this."
NATO leaders should demonstrate leadership because only then "Putin will go for negotiation, will accept compromise," Poroshenko said.
Biden on Friday said the U.S. and other countries would move to end normal trade relations with Russia while Vice President Kamala Harris reiterated that "any intentional attack or targeting of civilians is a war crime, period," after Ukraine claimed a Russian missile had struck a childcare facility for disabled people.
The World Health Organization on Thursday verified that Russian forces had attacked 26 healthcare centers in Ukraine since the invasion began on Feb. 24.
Meanwhile, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said Friday that Russia had gained momentum into the capital city of Kyiv.
"There's Russian bombardment and shelling going on quite violently as we speak," Kirby told reporters. "And we do assess that the Russians are beginning to make more momentum on the ground towards Kyiv, particularly from the east."
Kyiv, said Poroshenko, is "in very big danger," and delivering "objective information from here is extremely important to counteract Putin and his fake news campaign."
"Putin expected the people of Ukraine to meet him with flowers. But we met him with a Molotov cocktail, which we call the Banderas Moses," Poroshenko added.
Ukrainians are "not only fighting for Ukrainian soil, not only for our people, for our children and future, we are here fighting for freedom and democracy, we are fighting for Europe, for the whole world because Putin attacked the free west countries and with that situation nobody knows if he grabs Ukraine, which country will be next."
Ukrainians, though, "have no electricity, no heating, no water, and they are even melting snow to have water," so more sanctions and help is needed, said Poroshenko.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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