Zelensky: We were pressured more than Russia, we need at least sanctions against the Russian Federation
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that in the issue of ending the Russian-Ukrainian war, partners put more pressure on Ukraine than on Russia. Therefore, it is necessary to increase pressure on the Russian Federation, which does not want to end the war. He stated this during a briefing in Ankara.
As the president noted, at the beginning, US President Donald Trump's position was that pressure should be put on both sides.
"I think we were pressured more than Russia," he said.
According to Zelensky, Ukraine was demonstrating step by step that the issue was not in Ukraine.
"Ukraine is simply standing strong, fighting. We are simply not going to lose our lives and our land. But this does not mean that we are aggressors, and step by step we have confirmed this on various diplomatic platforms," he said.
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has agreed to many different compromises in order to achieve peace, in particular, a complete ceasefire.
"For Ukraine, it was also a compromise – a ceasefire without any conditions. We have many conditions regarding the aggressor. But if you agreed, if America took appropriate steps, then we agreed," he said.
The President emphasized that it is necessary to put pressure on the side that does not want the war to end.
"We really want there to be a demonstration of pressure on Russia, on Putin. Sanctions from Europe, the USA. At a minimum, sanctions," Zelenskyy summed up.
- On April 26, after speaking with Zelensky, Trump threatened the Russian dictator with new banking and secondary sanctions, criticizing Russia's latest strikes on Ukraine. The US president began to suspect that Putin did not want to end the war and was deceiving him .
- This is not the first time the US President has threatened Putin with sanctions or tariffs , but he has not yet introduced new restrictions against Russia, although he has extended those introduced by his predecessors.
- On April 27, Rubio explained that the United States is not imposing new sanctions against Russia because it "doesn't want to go to that point" and "it's not the time" for them. According to the United States, imposing sanctions would mean their withdrawal from the negotiations .
- On May 1, Graham announced that the bill on new US sanctions against Russia is supported by more than 70 senators.
- On May 13, European leaders said they were willing to wait for talks in Turkey before pushing for the US to announce new sanctions against Moscow.
