Zelensky Tells U.S. Politicians ‘This Might Be The Last Time You See Me Alive’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned U.S. lawmakers they may not see him alive again as he begged for the U.S.’ continued support of his country in its war against Russia during a Zoom call Saturday.

The grim warning, as reported by Politico, marked the starkest and most direct call to action yet between the embattled leader and U.S. legislators. Zelensky also urged the group, which was comprised of more than 300 U.S. senators and House representatives, to provide Soviet-era jets his military can fly and impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, a move the U.S. government has resisted.

Zelensky also warned legislators that the war could engulf all of Europe should it turn nuclear, citing the dozen nuclear plants in Ukraine and the battles over both the Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia power plants.

“This will become Europe’s problem,” he warned lawmakers through translators, according to Politico.

Two U.S. senators—Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Steve Daines (R-MT)—came under fire after sharing screenshots of the Zoom call, ignoring a warning by Zelensky not to do so in order to protect his safety. Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) slammed the two for their “appalling and reckless ignorance.”

Zelensky’s meeting came hours after Ukraine temporarily stopped civilian evacuations in the key southeastern port city of Mariupol, saying that Russia violated a cease-fire agreement struck just hours earlier.

“The Russian side is not holding to the ceasefire and has continued firing on Mariupol itself and on its surrounding area,” said Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of the Ukrainian president’s office, according to the Associated Press. “Talks with the Russian Federation are ongoing regarding setting up a cease-fire and ensuring a safe humanitarian corridor.”

The evacuation of more than 200,000 Ukrainians is now in limbo with the deputy mayor of Mariupol, Serhiy Orlov, telling the BBC that the ceasefire had completely collapsed.

“The Russians are continuing to bomb us and use artillery. It is crazy,” Orlov said. “There is no cease-fire in Mariupol and there is no ceasefire all along the route. Our civilians are ready to escape but they cannot escape under shelling.”

Russia’s defense ministry said no one made use of two humanitarian corridors set up near Ukraine’s cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha and accused Ukrainian “nationalists” of preventing civilians from leaving, the RIA news agency reported. However, the British Ministry of Defence claimed Saturday the Russians may have used the ceasefire—and subsequent collapse of it—to deflect blame to the Ukrainians for future civilian casualties.

The International Committee of the Red Cross called the scenes in Mariupol “heartbreaking.”

“We understand that the safe passage operations from Mariupol and Volnovakha will not start today.” The Red Cross said it was “ready to help facilitate the safe passage of civilians once the parties have reached an agreement.”

Staff members of Doctors Without Borders said on Saturday that the situation in Mariupol was “dire.”

“This night the shelling was harder and closer. We collected snow and rain water yesterday to have some utility water. We tried to get free water today but the queue was huge. We also wanted to get ‘social’ bread but it is not clear the schedule and the places of distribution. According to people, multiple grocery stores were destroyed by missiles and the remaining things were taken by people in desperate need. Still no power, water, heating and mobile connection. No one heard about any evacuation yet. Pharmacies are out of medicine,” the organization said in a statement.

It said people are now effectively trapped in Mariupol, where the attacks started so suddenly that many could not flee.