The three ‘big things’ Ukraine needs from the West

A Ukrainian member of Parliament says people in the country are putting up an “unbelievable” fight, but there are three things the West can do to help them in their fight against Russian invaders.

Ukrainian parliamentarian Inna Sovsun spoke to Ross and Russel from her Kyiv basement, as the city endured an airstrike, but she said the general mood in Kyiv is not of despair, it’s anger.

“There’s extreme anger that this is happening to us, that there is this madman in the Kremlin who decided he can simply start bombing a sovereign state,” she said.

“When Putin is saying that he’s not targeting the young he is so much lying because as of yesterday … he already killed 16 Ukrainian children.

“This is truly happening, this is truly happening in a country which didn’t want a war.”

Ms Sovsun says there are three “major” things the West can do to help Ukraine.

Firstly, they need more weapons and ammunition.

“We are receiving a lot of weapons and ammunition from many countries right now but we need more. As of yesterday, 100,000 volunteers signed up for territorial defence and they all need weapons, they all need protection, they all need training, they all need medical support,” Ms Sovsun.

The second request is a full trade embargo on Russia.

“The sanctions that the western world has introduced so far, that is not enough. We need the sanctions that would actually make it not sustainable for Russia to continue to the war,” Ms Sovsun said.

“At this point in time if you are buying a single thing from Russia you are giving them money that’s not going to Russian children, or Russian doctors, that’s money that’s going to buy the weapons with which they will be killing Ukrainian children and Ukrainian women and men.”

And finally, Ukraine is calling for a no fly zone to be established over the country. The measure would mean deploying NATO aircraft to block Russia from using its air force to attack Ukraine, in practice, meaning NATO members would need to be willing to engage in conflict with Russia. Many Western leaders say this would be tantamount to war.

“I know it is big,” Ms Sovsun said of the request.

“Please help us protect our cities, villages, towns, from air.

“That’s the big thing we’re asking for the west to do.”

Press PLAY below to hear the full interview with Ms Sovsun as Kyiv endured an airstrike

Image: Laurent Van der Stockt for Le Monde/Getty Images