President Volodymyr Zelenskiy encouraged the West to stop fooling around with Russia and put harder sanctions on it in order to end its “senseless conflict” in Ukraine, stressing that his country will remain independent at any cost.
Zelenskiy’s criticism of the West has grown in recent days, as the European Union advances cautiously toward a possible Russian oil embargo and thousands of Russian forces attempt to encircle the two eastern cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk.
Three months into its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has abandoned its attack on Kyiv in favour of attempting to secure control of the industrial eastern Donbas area, where it has supported a separatist insurgency since 2014.
Following the surrender of Ukraine’s force in Mariupol last week, Western military analysts regard the struggle for Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk as a possible turning point in the war.
‘Ukraine will be an independent state in perpetuity. The only question is how much our people will have to pay for their freedom, and how much Russia will have to pay for this pointless war against us,’ in a late-night statement on Thursday, Zelenskiy stated.
‘The disastrous developing events may still be averted if the world approached the situation in Ukraine as if it were facing the same scenario, if the powers that be did not play games with Russia but pressed for an end to the war.’
Zelenskiy expressed concern about divisions within the EU over additional sanctions against Russia and questioned why some nations were permitted to veto the plan.
The EU is considering a sixth wave of sanctions, including a ban on Russian oil imports. It requires unanimous agreement, but Hungary opposes the notion on the grounds that it will harm its economy too severely.
Hungary needs three and a half to four years to transition away from Russian crude and make massive expenditures to restructure its economy, and it cannot support the EU’s proposed oil embargo until all difficulties are resolved, according to a top Hungarian aide.
According to Zelenskiy, Russia receives one billion euros each day from the EU27 for energy deliveries.
‘How many weeks will the European Union try to get an agreement on a sixth package?’ he wondered.
‘Putting pressure on Russia is truly a question of life and death. Every day of procrastination, weakness, numerous conflicts, or offers to ‘pacify’ the aggressor at the expense of the victim results in the deaths of more Ukrainians.’
Zelenskiy’s remarks represent the second day in a row that he has stepped up his criticism of the international community’s stance to the conflict.
On Wednesday, he slammed ideas that Kyiv make concessions to establish peace, comparing the idea to Nazi Germany’s appeasement in 1938.
The EU meeting on May 30-31 could witness splits between those who want a tough stance against Russia and others who want a ceasefire.
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