Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky Issues Grave Warning After Putin Threat — 'We Need Help Now'

Volodymyr Zelensky recently addressed Vladimir Putin's threat posed by to establish a buffer zone in Ukraine's beleagured Kharkiv region.

In a stark update more than two years after Russia's February 2022 invasion, the Ukrainian President discussed the ongoing deadly conflict raging between Kyiv and Moscow. Zelensky spoke recently from a hospital in Kharkiv during an interview with ABC News.

Initially scheduled to visit Spain, Zelensky canceled his trip to head to Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. "It’s really important for me to be here," he told ABC News, visiting injured Ukrainian soldiers.

"The situation is very serious," Zelenskyy noted about the escalating conflict. "We cannot afford to lose Kharkiv."

While he did not single out any country for Putin’s recent aggression, Zelensky remarked, "It’s the world’s fault" that Putin has advanced so far. "They gave the opportunity for Putin to occupy. But now the world can help."

Zelensky’s interview came shortly after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Ukraine, where he announced a new $2 billion aid package, following a $60 billion package approved by Congress last month.

Zelensky expressed gratitude for Blinken’s visit but emphasized Ukraine’s urgent need for tangible support to repel Russian forces.

"Dialogue is good, but we need help now," he said. "All we need are two Patriot systems. Russia will not be able to occupy Kharkiv if we have those."

He clarified that the $60 billion aid package largely benefits American industries. "That money is not given to Ukraine," he explained. "It’s money spent in American factories, creating American jobs."

Zelensky underscored the broader significance of Ukraine’s fight, stating, "We are not just fighting for our freedom. If not Ukraine, it would be another country."

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As previously reported, Zelensky’s comments followed Putin’s threat to establish a buffer zone in Kharkiv during a rare visit to China.

On May 10, Moscow launched its offensive into Kharkiv. While Putin claimed he had no plans to capture the city, he did threaten to "create a security zone."

"I have said publicly that if it continues, we will be forced to create a security zone, a sanitary zone," Putin declared from Beijing recently. "That’s what we are doing." He also confirmed that Russian troops were "advancing daily according to plan."