Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday warned that his country will defend itself when Russian troops attack.

“If they (Russia) attack, if they try to take our county – our freedom, our lives, the lives of our children – we will be defending ourselves.

“As you attack, it will be our faces you see, not our backs,” the Ukrainian president on Wednesday said.

Mr Zalansky in his nationwide address on the brewing war warned that Russia actions could start a major war in Europe. 

He further disclosed that efforts to seek truce with  Russian President Vladimir Putin was unsuccessful.

“I initiated a telephone call with the president of the Russian federation. Result: silence,” Mr Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian president said that 200,000 Russian troops and thousands of combat vehicles were already on Ukraine’s borders.

He further appealed to Russians to reject an attack, saying they were being lied to about Ukraine.

His comments came as Russian troops continue to advance closer to the Ukrainian border.

Russia had ordered its troops into Ukraine’s rebel-held eastern regions, it claimed the breakaway regions asked for military support.