Ukraine wants one-on-one talks between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the war-torn country's foreign minister said Tuesday, as Russia's relentless attacks enter a 13th consecutive day after Russian forces bombed major cities, including capital Kyiv, overnight. In a televised broadcast, Dmytro Kuleba threw down the gauntlet to Putin, declaring Zelenskyy - who has emerged as an inspiring war-time leader for his country - 'is not scared of anything'.
"We have long wanted a direct conversation between the president of Ukraine and Vladimir Putin, because we all understand that it is he who makes the final decisions, especially now."
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"Our president is not scared of anything, including a direct meeting with Putin. If Putin is also not scared, let him come to the meeting, let them sit and talk."
Zelenskyy has been more direct in his condemnation, calling Putin a 'beast' who would not be satisfied with subjugating Ukraine.
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The president warned the West - which has been wary of offering boots-on-the-ground support for fear of angering Putin further - that even countries as far away as the United States and Canada were not safe.
"Everyone thinks (they) are far away (a reference to the US). No... when freedoms are being violated you have to protect us. Because we will come first. You will come second. Because the more this beast will eat, he wants more, more, and more," CNN quoted the president.
{{/usCountry}}"Everyone thinks (they) are far away (a reference to the US). No... when freedoms are being violated you have to protect us. Because we will come first. You will come second. Because the more this beast will eat, he wants more, more, and more," CNN quoted the president.
{{/usCountry}}Zelenskyy this week also appealed for help in securing Ukrainian airspace, which is at the mercy of Russia's vastly superior air force and has seen rocket strikes launched, Ukraine claims, at residential areas and populated centres.
NATO - membership of which has been sought by Ukraine and which is a big reason why Russia has attacked - has rejected calls for a unilateral 'no fly zone', reasoning it could lead to conflict spreading throughout the region.
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Negotiators have had three rounds of talks so far with no result. Indeed, the rhetoric has been ramped up, with Moscow telling Kyiv to 'stop fighting (or else)...' Putin has said he won't stop till Ukraine's military is 'destroyed'.
Talks over evacuation corridors to safely remove non-combatants have been similarly stuck, with shelling and gunfire interrupting two ceasefire periods.
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A third ceasefire - in the northeastern city of Sumy, where around 600 Indians are stuck - is expected to begin at 12.30 pm IST.
India's permanent rep to the United Nations Security Council raised this matter and urged both sides for a "safe corridor for our students".
Russian forces have so far had different levels of success in their attempts to capture Ukraine - they have control over Kherson (a major port city) and the derelict Chernobyl nuclear power plant (which gives them cross-border access), as well as smaller towns.
However, fierce resistance has slowed their advance on capital Kyiv.
With input from AFP, ANI, Reuters