Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is urging Russian troops to put down their weapons and retreat as the country releases prisoners with combat experience to help fight against the invasion.
Zelensky directly addressed the Russian soldiers in a video posted to his Telegraph channel on Monday, the fifth day of the invasion, saying thousands of troops have been killed so far, NBC News reported.
"Don't trust your commanders, don't trust your propagandists. Just save your lives. Leave," he warned.
Zelensky added that the Ukrainian government made the morally difficult decision to release inmates who have military experience, saying that everyone who can "join the struggle against the invaders must do so."
"Under martial law, Ukrainians with real combat experience will be released from custody and will be able to compensate for their guilt in the hottest spots of the conflict," he said, according to The Daily Mail. "The key thing now is defense."
Zelensky said sanctions against some individuals who participated in the Anti-Terrorist Operation will be lifted -- a difficult decision "from a moral point of view" but one he called necessary to defend the country, Newsweek reported.
"When I went to the presidency, I said that each of us is the president. Because we are all responsible for our country. For our beautiful Ukraine. And now it has happened that each of us is a warrior," he said. "And I am sure that each of us will win."
Zelensky also signed a decree temporarily lifting the requirement for entry visas for any foreigner willing to join Ukraine's International Defense Legion and fight on Ukraine's side, the Associated Press reported. The decree takes effect Tuesday and will remain in effect as long as martial law is in place.
The first round of peace talks aimed at ending the fighting between Ukraine and Russia went on for hours Monday but ended without any resolution. Both sides agreed to another round of discussions.
