Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said late Saturday that democratic countries are united in working to stop the Russian invasion as civilians continued to flee eastern parts of the country before an expected onslaught and firefighters searched for survivors in a northern town no longer occupied by Russian forces.

"The task of our anti-war coalition is to end the war started by Russia as soon as possible. Free the country from invaders. And to guarantee the security of Ukraine, and thus the security of democracy and freedom of the people of Eastern Europe," Zelensky said.

New civilian casualties, a plan to accelerate Ukraine's accession to the EU, expelled human rights organizations: read the highlights of the war in Ukraine over the past 24 hours.

52 victims in a railway station attack

The European Commission has proposed an accelerated path to Ukraine's accession to the European Union.

At a meeting between EC President Ursula von der Leyen and President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine received a special questionnaire as a step towards granting EU candidate status.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he wants a tough global response to Russia after its forces fired a missile at a crowded train station, killing at least 52 people.

It was the second foul by the Ukrainian President in the same day after Azov Battalion member addressed Greek parliament during Zelensky’s speech

"The Russian invaders are preparing a propaganda staging - they will show the dead in Mariupol, as if they were not killed by them, but by the Ukrainian military."

This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky in an address on April 7, published on his Facebook page.

Von der Leyen and Borrell left for Kyiv last night by train from Przemyl, Poland, about 13 kilometers from the border with Ukraine.
Von der Leyen is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

Looking forward to Kyiv.@JosepBorrellF @eduardheger pic.twitter.com/YFAgGr5Tlc

Images of bloodshed with killed civilians in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, toured the world. Ukrainian government accuses Russian soldiers of that. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also has serious objections to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Ukrainian leaders predicted there would be more gruesome discoveries in the days ahead after retreating Russian forces left behind crushed buildings, streets strewn with destroyed cars and mounting civilian casualties that drew condemnation from across the globe.