KYIV, Ukraine 鈥� Ukraine鈥檚 President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Tuesday that 24 of the country's soldiers have been killed so far this year in eastern regions where cease-fire violations have escalated in recent weeks.
The conflict with Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine erupted shortly after Moscow鈥檚 2014 annexation of Ukraine鈥檚 Crimea peninsula. More than 14,000 people have died in the fighting.
In a call Tuesday with Canadian Prime Minister Canada Justin Trudeau, Zelenskiy pointed to his country's mounting losses from cease-fire violations in the east and stressed the need to increase international pressure on Russia to prevent further escalation.
Zelenskiy said that since the latest cease-fire was signed last July, Ukraine has lost 28 servicemen in the east, including 24 so far this year.
Ukraine's military said earlier in the day that two of its soldiers were killed in the last 24 hours.
Officials in Kyiv and the West expressed concerns over reports of a troop buildup along Russia鈥檚 borders with Ukraine. Last week, Zelenskiy accused Russia of 鈥渕uscle-flexing in the form of military exercises and possible provocations along the border.鈥�
Russia has rejected the accusations.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted Monday that Russia could deploy its forces wherever it deems necessary on its territory, adding that the troops鈥� movements 鈥渟houldn鈥檛 cause the slightest concern鈥� and that Russia doesn鈥檛 pose a threat 鈥渢o any country in the world, including Ukraine.鈥�
But Zelenskiy, in a phone conversation with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson late Monday, argued that 鈥淩ussia鈥檚 recent actions pose a serious challenge to the security of Ukraine, NATO member states and the whole of Europe," according to a readout of the call released by Kyiv.
A readout from Johnson's office said the two leaders discussed the U.K.鈥檚 鈥渟ignificant concerns about the recent Russian military activity on Ukraine鈥檚 border and in illegally-annexed Crimea.鈥�
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he called Zelenskiy on Tuesday to express the bloc's 鈥渟erious concerns鈥� about Russia's military activities.
鈥淣ATO firmly supports Ukraine鈥檚 sovereignty and territorial integrity. We remain committed to our close partnership,鈥� Stoltenberg tweeted.
Zelenskiy, in turn, stressed the importance of Ukraine joining a program for prospective NATO members, saying that participating in the alliance's Membership Action Plan program could be 鈥渁 real signal for Russia.鈥�
The Associated Press
