Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has appealed to the United States’ Congress for military assistance in the fight against Russia. 

Mr Zelensky made his appeal to the legislators in a live streamed video on Wednesday pleading for the U.S. to help Ukraine by imposing a no-fly zone or donating military equipment to protect Ukraine’s skies.

“Russia has turned the Ukrainian side into a source of death for thousands of people. This is a terror that Europe has not seen, has not seen for 80 years and we are asking for a reply to this terror from the whole world,” Mr Zelensky said. “Is this a lot to ask for — to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine to save people?”

In his address Mr Zelensky compared the assault on Ukraine to Pearl Harbor and the 9/11 attacks, in a bid to convince U.S. President Joe Biden and his administration to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine. 

Mr Zelensky had appeared before Canada’s parliament on Tuesday as well as European and British legislator with the same requests. 

Western powers like the U.S. and NATO have hesitated to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, voicing concerns that its military intervention could put its forces in direct confrontation with Russia. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin had warned that he would consider any declaration of a no-fly zone over Ukraine by a third party as participation in the war there, confirming the concerns that any interference would further escalation and potentially spark World War III.