Ukraine holding Russia back from marching across Europe - Zelensky

President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed this in his latest video address posted on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

"Our Defense Forces consist of multiple elements. Many brigades and units. And everyone who operates at the front, everyone who defends the state from Russian saboteurs and terror, everyone who performs combat missions, deserves gratitude and respect. Russian murderers and torturers are not marching farther across Europe only because Ukrainian men and women are holding them back, up in arms and under a blue-and-yellow flag," Zelensky said.

He recalled that many houses and churches in Ukraine once had white walls before they were burnt and broken by Russian shells. And this speaks very eloquently about who should stop for the war to stop. Anyone who protects life and people is performing the most honorable mission possible in the face of such an inhuman invasion, Zelensky emphasized.

"And we must fully protect life, protect it in our own home. And I thank everyone who supports our defense, our Ukrainian defenders. When Russian evil unleashed this war on February 24, all Ukrainians stood up in defense. Christians, Muslims, Jews – everyone... And I thank every Ukrainian chaplain who is with the Army, as part of our Defense Forces, out there on the front lines. They defend life and humanity. They support others both with prayer, conversation, and action. This is what the church is about – being with people, not 2,500 kilometers away, engaging in virtual mediation between the one who seeks to survive and the one who seeks to destroy you," the president stressed.

He thanked everyone who is doing “everything in Ukraine and with Ukraine to preserve life”.

"I thank everyone who helps and who stands really close – through action and prayer," Zelensky said.

As reported by Ukrinform, Pope Francis in an interview with Switzerland’s RSI reflected on the need to seek the end to the ongoing war, suggesting that the strongest one is the one who has the courage “of the white flag” – a remark which saw wide criticism from many in Ukraine.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Ukraine would "never raise any other flags" than the nation’s national one, which is blue and yellow.

President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier today said “Russian insanity” must lose the war.