Zelenskyy seeks France, Germany help releasing captive Mayor

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that over 1,300 Ukrainians have been killed since the beginning of the Russian invasion on February 24. Zelenskyy also spoke to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron hours after the two leaders held fresh talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.  Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter, "Prospects for peace talks also discussed. We must stop the aggressor together." He askes them to help in releasing the captive mayor of Melitopol.

I spoke with @OlafScholz, @EmmanuelMacron. We discussed countering the aggressor, RF crimes against civilians. I ask my partners to help in releasing the captive mayor of Melitopol. Prospects for peace talks also discussed. We must stop the aggressor together

— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 12, 2022

Ukraine's government said Russian forces have captured the area on the eastern outskirts of the port city of Mariupol. The statement adds, "In the northern direction, the enemy carries out engineering equipment of positions in the areas of Mykhailo-Kotsyubynske, Levkovychi, Zhukotka, Hrodna (Chernihiv region). "The enemy has established itself in the northern part of the city of Izyum, does not abandon attempts to capture it."The Government of Ukraine has additionally allocated nearly UAH (Ukrainian Hryvnia) 4 billion to strengthen the country's defense capabilitie

The Kremlin, meanwhile, issued a statement saying Russian President Vladimir Putin in his phone calls with Scholz and Macron slammed what he said was the "flagrant violation of international humanitarian law” by Ukrainian forces.