Ukraine Prez Zelensky, in emotional address, pleads for worldwide support

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday called for people around the world to turn out in squares, on streets and in schoolyards in support of Ukraine.

Zelensky called for global rallies to begin on Thursday, one month after Russia invaded Ukraine.

He gave his latest nightly video address earlier - and it was in English for the first time.

Russia's war was not just against Ukraine, he said, but the freedom of people everywhere - and the world needed to stop Russia's crude use of force.

“From this day and after that, show your standing. Come from your offices, your homes, your schools and universities. Come in the name of peace. Come with Ukrainian symbols to support Ukraine, to support freedom, to support life,” Zelensky said, speaking in English.

“Come to your schoolyards, your streets,” Zelensky added. “Say that people matter, freedom matters, peace matters, Ukraine matters.”

Zelensky's address came hours before a Nato summit in Brussels where Western countries are expected to agree on sending reinforcements to Central and Eastern Europe to bolster the bloc's defences.

US President Joe Biden will be attending the meeting on a day that will mark one month since the Russian invasion began.

Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion, thousands have died and some areas have been destroyed from Russian bombing and shelling.

The U.S. declared Wednesday that Russia has committed war crimes in Ukraine, as hospitals, schools and bomb shelters have been targeted.

The U.S. and other countries have placed heavy sanctions on Russia while arming Ukraine in its fight against the invaders.

The war has caused more than 3.5 million Ukrainians to leave the country and more than 6 million to become displaced inside Ukraine.

Public protests against Russia have been staged throughout Europe over the past month, while protests in Russia have been met with force and mass arrests.