Volodymyr Zelensky

Speaking to CNN, Zelensky said that Biden was “the decision maker” about whether Ukraine would be in NATO or not. “He supports our future in NATO,” but an invitation now would be a huge motivator for Ukrainian soldiers, the President said. Ukraine’s aspiration to join is enshrined in its Constitution and its relationship with NATO dates back to the early 1990s, according to the military alliance. 

Speaking to the BBC, the President said: "Some people believe this is a Hollywood movie and expect results now. It's not. What's at stake is people's lives." According to authorities in Kiev, Ukrainian forces have reclaimed eight villages so far in the southern region of Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk to the east.

"Counteroffensive and defensive actions are taking place," Zelensky said on Saturday, BBC reported. But he added that he would not talk in detail about which stage or state the counter-offensive was in. The comments come after an escalation of fighting in the south and east of Ukraine and speculation about progress of the widely anticipated push, BBC reported.

In a social media post on Wednesday, the President said: "The whole world knows about this Russian war crime, the crime of ecocide -- the deliberate destruction of the dam and other structures of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant by the Russian occupiers. "In fact, Russian terrorists have detonated an environmental bomb.

The Kakhovka dam is one of six dams that sits along the river, which stretches all the way from the very north of the country into the sea in the south, the BBC reported. Satellite images are slowly being uploaded, showing the extent of the damage to the Nova Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant.

It was the first time the two leaders met since Russia unleashed a  special military operation' on Ukraine on February 24 last year. The Prime Minister, who is in Japan to attend the G7 summit, said in a tweet, "Met President Zelensky in Hiroshima.

While addressing the Summit on Friday, the President said that "there are people who turn a blind eye to captivity and illegal annexation, but no matter how strong Russian influence may be, it is important to remain independent", reports Ukrayinska Pravda. He said that even if there were people at the Summit.

Speaking to the BBC from his headquarters in Kiev, Zelensky described combat brigades, some of which were trained by NATO countries, as being "ready" but said the army still needed "some things", including armoured vehicles that were "arriving in batches".

"It is time for a positive decision to launch negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the European Union," Zelensky told reporters after talks with von der Leyen in Kiev. Kiev is counting on receiving a positive interim assessment of Ukraine's progress on the path of European integration by the European Commission in June, Zelensky said.

In an announcement on Monday, he also said that May 8 would now officially be a Day of Remembrance and Victory, as marked in many countries around the world.