Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hailed “very important” new US and European Union energy sanctions on Russia on Thursday, but said more pressure would be needed on Moscow to secure a ceasefire in the war.
The United States unveiled sanctions against Russia’s major oil companies on Wednesday, a day after plans for a summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin fell apart.
EU countries formally adopted a 19th package of sanctions on Thursday, including a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas imports.
“This is very important,” Zelenskiy said of the new sanctions in comments to reporters in Brussels, where he was expected to meet EU leaders.
In response to a reporter’s question, he said he believed a ceasefire was still possible in Ukraine but that more pressure needed to be applied to Russia for it to happen. He ruled out making territorial concessions to Moscow, which began its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Zelenskiy also thanked Trump for the new US sanctions in a post on X, praising “this resolute and well-targeted decision” showing “aggression will not go unanswered”.
“The new US sanctions against Russia’s oil giants are a clear signal that prolonging the war and spreading terror come at a cost. And this is a fair and absolutely deserved step,” he wrote.
“It is precisely pressure on Russia that will be effective for achieving peace, and sanctions are one of its key components.”
