Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tells Russian citizens they are not enemies but vows the country will defend itself against any invasion, CNN reported.

With Russia apparently getting ready to invade Ukraine, the country’s president Zelensky, made a televised plea against war, with a direct appeal to the Russian people.

“The Ukrainian people want peace. The government in Ukraine wants peace and is doing everything it can to build it” – President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his speech after midnight on Thursday morning in Kyiv.

In his passionate speech, President Zelensky defied Putin’s decisions, that he does not bring liberation.

“Any spark, could burn everything down. You are told that this flame will liberate the people of Ukraine, but the Ukrainian people are free.”

Mr. Zelensky, whose background is Jewish, said that allegations of Ukrainians being Nazis are false.

“You are told we are Nazis. But can a people support Nazis that gave more than eight million lives for the victory over Nazism? How can I be a Nazi? Tell my grandpa, who went through the whole war in the infantry of the Soviet Army and died as a colonel in independent Ukraine” – said Mr. Zelensky.

Before midnight, Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmitro Kuleba tweeted that Ukraine has requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.

“Ukraine has requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council due to the appeal by Russian occupation administrations in Donetsk and Luhansk to Russia with a request to provide them with military assistance, which is a further escalation of the security situation” – Mr. Zelensky wrote.

Ukraine has requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council due to the appeal by Russian occupation administrations in Donetsk and Luhansk to Russia with a request to provide them with military assistance, which is a further escalation of the security situation.

— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 23, 2022