Ukraine crisis: Ukraine realizes it can't join NATO, says Zelenskyy

Kyiv, Mar 15: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the country realizes that it can't join NATO. Speaking Tuesday to representatives of the U.K.-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), Zelenskyy said that "we heard for years about the allegedly open doors" of NATO, but "we have already heard that we won't be able to join."

He added that "it's the truth we must recognise, and I'm glad that our people are starting to realise that and count on themselves and our partners who are helping us." The JEF may consist of Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway. Zelenskyy again urged Western allies to provide Ukraine with warplanes.

Russia stepped up its bombardment of Kyiv on Tuesday, devastating an apartment house and other buildings, while civilians in 2,000 cars fled Mariupol along a humanitarian corridor in what was believed to the biggest evacuation yet from the desperately besieged seaport. On the diplomatic front, another round of talks began between Russia and Ukraine via video, and the leaders of three European Union countries - including Poland, a NATO member on Ukraine's doorstep - planned a visit to the embattled capital in a bold show of support.

As the number of people driven from the country by war eclipsed 3 million, l arge explosions thundered across Kyiv before dawn from what Ukrainian authorities said were artillery strikes, as Russia's assault on the capital appeared to become more systematic and edged toward the city center. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said barrages hit four multi-story buildings in the city and killed dozens of people. The shelling ignited a huge fire in a 15-story apartment building and spurred a frantic rescue effort.