In an address to the nation delivered in the early hours of Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Russia of undermining peace efforts and governed out any territorial concessions. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky spoke after Russia formally recognized two Moscow-backed regions of eastern Ukraine as independent and dispatched troops to the region, escalating a crisis that the West threats could lead to a major conflict.

Since convening a security council meeting, Zelenskiy accused Russia of violating Ukraine’s sovereign territory, implying that the Minsk peace talks seeking to end the separatist contradictions in eastern Ukraine could be called off. Ukraine, according to Zelenskiy, wants to resolve the crisis through diplomacy but is prepared to dig in for the long term.“We are committed to the peaceful and diplomatic path, we will follow it and only it,”  Zelenskiy stated. “But we are on our own land, we are not afraid of anything and anybody, we owe nothing to no one, and we will give nothing to no one.”

He asked for an immediate meeting of Ukraine’s, Russia’s, Germany’s, and France’s presidents, as well as asking Ukraine’s allies to act against Russia. After Russian President Vladimir Putin told Russia’s defense ministry to send forces into the two territories to “maintain the peace,” a Reuters witness spotted unusually large columns of military weaponry moving into the rebel city of Donetsk. Russia’s activities elicited condemnation from the US and Europe, as well as threats of fresh penalties, though it remained unclear whether the West would see the Russian military move as the start of a full-scale invasion. In effect, the territory had been under the hands of Russian-backed separatists and Moscow.

“We expect clear and effective steps of support from our partners,” Zelenskiy stated. “It is very important to see who is our real friend and partner, and who will continue to scare the Russian Federation with words.”

After Russia massed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders in last week, Zelenskiy’s administration expressed dissatisfaction with the West’s refusal to apply preventive measures.