(brief version)
The second, third, and fifth presidents Leonid Kuchma, Viktor Yushchenko, and Petro Poroshenko appealed to world leaders to assist in saving the lives of civilians and soldiers from the Azovstal plant in Mariupol.
Poroshenko’s direct speech: “We appeal to the leaders of the world. To the Member States of the European Union, the United States of America and Canada, China, Turkey, and others, as well as to the United Nations.
We ask all available diplomatic resources to help the Ukrainian authorities save the lives of civilian and military Ukrainians whom Russia is trying to destroy by barbaric methods on the territory of the Azovstal steel plant due to Putin’s orders.
The extraordinary courage and heroism of the Ukrainian soldiers and defenders of the city impressed not only Ukraine but the whole world. The Azov Regiment, our marines, and our border guards have already gone down in history because their military feat is unprecedented. And these are our national heroes, selfless, brave, and patriotic.
In the eyes of the whole world, there is an attempt at bloody revenge and massacre of the Russians over those who, although surrounded, defeated them by the strength of spirit and strength of will.”
Details: The presidents called on everyone to join in saving the lives of the defenders.
Poroshenko offered the authorities to join the process of negotiations on the extraction of Azovstal defenders along with international and Ukrainian officials and to personally participate in the implementation of this procedure.
Source: Ukrayinska Pravda