Addressing the “free people of a brave country”, Zelensky said in a video late at night to the Ukrainians that Russia’s war goal “was not intended to be limited to Ukraine” and that “the whole European plan is a goal”.
“That is why it is not just a moral duty of all democracies, of all the powers of Europe, to support Ukraine’s desire for peace,” he said.  “This is, in fact, a defense strategy for any civilized state.”
He was speaking as civilians continued to flee the eastern part of the country ahead of an impending attack and emergency workers sought survivors in cities north of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, which are no longer occupied by Russian forces.
Russia has withdrawn its troops from the north of the country and refocused on the eastern Donbass region, where Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian troops for eight years and controlling some territory before the war, now in 46th day of.
Western military analysts say a landslide in eastern Ukraine has come under attack from Kharkiv – Ukraine’s second largest city – in the north to Kherson in the south.  New satellite images from Maxar Technologies released on Friday showed an 8-mile (13-kilometer) convoy of military vehicles heading south to Donbass via Velykyi Burluk.
However, Western assessments have expressed growing confidence in the ability of Ukraine’s defenders to repel Russian attacks, depicting Russian troops suffering low morale and growing casualties.
The British Ministry of Defense said on Sunday that the Russian army is seeking to respond to the growing casualties by increasing the number of troops with personnel who have been discharged from military service since 2012.
In a Twitter post, the ministry also said that the Russian military’s efforts to “create more combat power” also included an attempt to recruit from Transnistria, a breakaway region of Moldova bordering Ukraine.
The Russian-backed separatists in eastern Moldova took up arms in 1992 to establish the Transnistrian, which is not internationally recognized and where Russia has about 1,500 troops.
Several European leaders have made efforts to show solidarity with war-torn Ukraine.  In a video speech, Zelensky thanked the leaders of Britain and Austria for their visit to Kyiv on Saturday and for their commitment to further support.
He also thanked the President of the European Commission and the Prime Minister of Canada for a global fundraising event that brought in more than 10 billion euros ($ 11 billion) for the millions of Ukrainians who have fled their homes.
Zelensky reiterated his call for a full embargo on Russian oil and gas, calling it a source of “Russian confidence and impunity.”  Some European countries are heavily dependent on imported Russian energy.
“Freedom has no time to wait,” Zelensky said.  “Once the tyranny begins its aggression against anything that keeps peace in Europe, action must be taken immediately.”
In an interview with the Associated Press inside the heavily guarded compound of his presidential office, Zelensky said he had pledged to negotiate a diplomatic end to the war, even though Russia had “tortured” Ukraine.
He also acknowledged that peace was unlikely to come soon.  Talks so far have not included Russian President Vladimir Putin or other top officials.
“We have to fight, but we have to fight for life. You can not fight for dust when there is nothing and there are no people. That is why it is important to stop this war,” he said.
Ukrainian authorities have accused Russian forces of committing war crimes against thousands of civilians during the invasion, including airstrikes on hospitals, a rocket attack that killed 52 people at a train station on Friday and gunfire at nearby towns.
Graphic indications of civilian casualties emerged after Russian forces withdrew from Bhutan and firefighters searched buildings in Borodyanka, another settlement outside Kyiv.  Russia has denied involvement in the war crimes and has falsely claimed that the scenes in Bucha were staged.
Ukrainian authorities say they expect to find more mass killings as soon as they reach the southern port city of Mariupol, which is also in Donbass and has been under siege and heavy fighting for a month.  The location of the city in the Sea of ​​Azov is crucial for the construction of a land bridge from the Crimean peninsula, which Russia occupied from Ukraine eight years ago.
Ukrainian officials have been urging Western powers to send more weapons almost daily and further punish Moscow with sanctions, including the exclusion of Russian banks from the global financial system and a full EU embargo on Russian gas and oil.
During his visit on Saturday, Austrian Chancellor Carl Nehammer said he expected more EU sanctions against Russia, but defended his country’s opposition so far to a halt to Russian gas supplies.
A package of sanctions imposed this week “will not be the last”, the chancellor said, acknowledging that “as long as people die, any sanctions are still insufficient”.  Austria is militarily neutral and is not a member of NATO.
The visit of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson came a day after the United Kingdom promised an additional εκατο 100 million ($ 130 million) in high-quality military equipment.  Johnson also confirmed further financial support, pledging an additional $ 500 million in World Bank lending to Ukraine, raising Britain’s total loan guarantee to $ 1 billion.
In an interview with the AP, Zelenskyy noted increased support, but expressed disappointment when asked if the weapons and equipment Ukraine has received from the West are enough to reverse the outcome of the war.
“Not yet,” he said, switching to English for emphasis.  “Of course it is not enough.”
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Anna reported from Bukha, Ukraine.  Associated Press reporters around the world contributed to this report.
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