Ukrainians hold large protest in Brussels

As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its second month, a large protest was carried out in Brussels with protesters, including the sizable Belgian-Ukrainian community and recently arrived refugees, demanding tougher sanctions against Russia.

The event was organized by the Ukrainian-led advocacy group Promote Ukraine. It took place in front of the Council of the European Union, where US President Joe Biden was concluding a summit with European leaders, reported Ukraine's local media outlet The Kyiv Independent.

Initially, the protesters were demanding NATO for a no-fly zone over the war-torn country. After the refusal of the NATO alliance to create a no-fly zone over Ukrainian airspace, the organizers are now demanding that Ukraine's Western allies supply anti-air defenses and fighter jets.

"NATO, EU, it is enough to give promises, it is time to deliver help now!" the organizers wrote on Facebook. Olena Kuzhym, a volunteer organizer for the event, stated that the demonstration had set clear demands for Biden and other leaders.

"First, to close or shelter the sky, if not by the intervention of NATO, then by providing layered air defenses," Kuzhym said. "Also, protection from nuclear weapons, anti-biological and chemical protection weapons."

"We demand that the European Union completely cuts economic ties with the Russian Federation," the organizers wrote on Facebook adding, "Every euro that goes into the Kremlin's pocket is used to kill Ukrainian women, men, and children!"

Russia launched its invasion last month after recognizing the Ukrainian breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as "independent republics." Russia has since continued to maintain that the aim of its operations has been to "demilitarize" and "de-nazify" the country.

The Russian actions were immediately condemned by almost all the western countries, who rolled out severe sets of sanctions targetting the Russian economy, and key individuals.

A number of countries, including the US, UK, France, Italy, Finland, and several others, also banned Russian aircraft over their airspaces.