‘Peace is more valuable than diamonds’: Ukraine’s president tells Belgian lawmakers

By Selen Temizer

BRUSSELS (AA) - Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced Belgian’s diamond trade with Russia on Thursday in an address to Belgian lawmakers via video link.

Zelenskyy said Russian merchants still sell diamonds in Antwerp, known as the diamond city of Belgium, saying “peace is more valuable than diamonds.”

He said 90% of Mariupol has been destroyed after being under siege for four weeks and there is no water, food, medicine left.

"We do everything we can to protect the humanitarian corridor so that women, children and the elderly can flee. Sometimes it works. But often the Russians do not make it possible to leave the city,” he said.

Zelenskyy reiterated his demand for a no-fly zone above his country.

Lawmakers gave Zelenskyy a standing ovation after his speech.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo, who took the floor at the end of the session, argued that he understood Zelenskyy's demand but said it would mean a war with Russia.

Zelenskyy earlier addressed the Australian and Dutch parliaments.