Russia seeks to prolong the war, so partner countries must maintain sanctions against the Russian Federation, strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities, and develop a joint plan for deploying security guarantor forces. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the leaders' summit on support for Ukraine in Paris.
The Head of State emphasized that Russia is trying to keep the war going and is delaying diplomatic negotiations on a full and unconditional ceasefire, therefore it is important to maintain sanctions pressure on the aggressor country.
“Russia breaks its promises way too often – we can’t take steps toward them unless they really change. Sanctions must stay in place for as long as the aggression and occupation continue. I’m asking all of you to stay firm and to work with our other partners to keep the pressure on Russia,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted.
The President called on partners to continue military support for Ukraine both at the national level and through joint defense and financial initiatives within the European Union.
“According to our intelligence, Russia is getting ready for new offensives against the Sumy, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions. They’re dragging out the talks and trying to get the U.S. stuck in endless, pointless discussions about fake “conditions” just to buy time and then try to grab more land,” the Head of State emphasized.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also highlighted Ukraine's need for investment in the joint production of air defense systems, artillery shells, and drones.
“In Ukraine, our defense industry is underfunded by around 20 billion euros. We believe this gap can be closed using Russian assets,” the President noted.
The Head of State also urged partner countries to develop a concrete joint plan for deploying their forces in Ukraine.
“We need one clear plan – one that we all agree on and start implementing, based on the options and plans that have already been discussed with you and are available to you. We want to invite a small group of people – your representatives – to Ukraine to develop this plan together,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy concluded.
