Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky may believe Ukraine will defeat Russia, but he doesn't seem sure he'll be around to see it.
The nation's leader told his EU counterparts "this might be the last time you see me alive" during a video conference on Thursday night, Axios reports. He said Russian "sabotage forces" are hunting for him and his family in Kyiv, which aligns with U.S. intelligence that says a priority of Russia's invasion in Ukraine is to "decapitate" its government.
The attack on Ukraine has killed at least 137 and wounded 316 others, Zelensky said publicly in an address Friday morning. He also declared he is Russia's "number one" target for capture or assassination.
Zelensky's private plea with EU leaders to increase sanctions and deterrence measures against Russia echoed his public call for global support. If world leaders "don't help us today, if you do not strongly help Ukraine, then tomorrow war will knock on your doors," he said Thursday.
Axios reports that Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, who participated in the EU video conference, said when the EU leaders said goodbye to Zelensky they knew they might not see him again.