Ukraine President Zelenskyy garners standing ovation in impassioned speech to EU

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy received a standing ovation from world leaders Tuesday after he delivered an impassioned speech to the European Union as Russian forces continue to strike.

Zelenskyy pleaded with the 27-nation alliance to grant Kyiv membership and view Ukraine as a nation that stands "equal" to its European allies. 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen applauds after an address by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, via video link, at the European Parliament in Brussels, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

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"We have proven that at a minimum, we are exactly the same as you are," he said during an emergency session of the EU parliament. "Prove that you are with us. Prove that you will not let us go.

"Prove that you indeed are Europeans," he continued. "Life will win over death, and light will win over darkness."

Zelenskyy’s impassioned words were met with a lengthy standing ovation from the EU-nation leaders.

The Ukrainian president’s comments came one day after he applied for EU membership and requested that the allies quickly admit Ukraine to its ranks.

Russia has pummeled Ukraine for the last six days following its invasion. 

Despite repeated attempts to staunch Russian aggression through a wave of sanctions by the U.S. and its Western allies, Russian President Vladimir Putin has pushed his forces to continue their assault. 

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Putin has attempted to justify his invasion of Ukraine as a preemptive operation to counter what he alleged was NATO aggression toward Russia. 

In the lead-up to the invasion, Putin demanded that NATO bar Ukraine from being permitted admittance into the 30-nation alliance – a demand the West flatly rejected. 

But officials have argued that Putin’s invasion has only bolstered Ukraine's ties with the West, who have provided funding and defensive aid to Kyiv. 

The U.S. and European nations have said they will not send in military troops to face off with Russian forces out of fear it could spark a world war.

But Zelenskyy has championed the support Ukraine has received and thanked the EU for its display of unity. 

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"But I didn't want this unity at this price," he added. "Thousands of people killed, two revolutions, one war, and five days of a full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation."

Zelenskyy has promised to continue fighting Russian forces and told world leaders Tuesday, "We are fighting for our rights, for our freedoms, for life."

"We're fighting for survival," he added.