Zelenskyy calls for international support, Harris underscores unity with Ukraine

MUNICH — At the high-profile Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy drummed up international support for Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia, saying that U.S. senators and world leaders must understand that a win for Russia in Ukraine would have repercussions beyond its borders.

Zelenskyy’s rallying cry came in the wake of fresh outrage among world leaders over the death of prominent Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny while in custody at a Siberian prison on Friday, and Ukraine’s withdrawal this week from Avdiivka, a key battleground on the front against Russia.

Calling for the restoration of a “rules-based world order,” Zelenskyy described Russia’s invasion as a “war against any rules at all.”

Vice President Kamala Harris stood side by side with Zelenskyy in a joint press conference later in the day as she praised his resolve and successes in the continued fight against Russia, saying that U.S. will continue to stand behind Ukraine.

Harris said later during an exclusive interview with NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell that this is a “moment of reckoning” for the United States.

“We need to do our part. And we have been very clear that the United States Congress must act,” Harris told NBC News.

“This is a moment where America has the ability to actually demonstrate through action where we stand on issues like this, which is, do we stand with our friends in the face of extreme brutality or not? And I say we stand with our friends.”

Zelenskyy was met with an extended standing ovation as he called for the world to “act now” to oppose Russia, using his floor time to renew support for his country’s long and largely stalemated defense against Russia, as attention turned in recent months to