Zelenskyy laments delay of sixth package of sanctions against Russia at Brussels summit

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday urged the European Union to adopt the sixth sanctions package against Russia “as soon as possible.” Ukraine’s President reiterated that more than 50 days elapse in reaching a consensus for the approval of Russian oil embargo, and the long gap between the fifth and sixth packages “is unacceptable.” Speaking at a joint press conference with the President of Slovakia Zuzana Chaputova in Kyiv, Zelenskyy emphasized that such restrictive measures against Russia should motivate its regime to end the war, Ukrinform reported. Zelenskyy urged that pressure must be maintained on energy sector of Russia - “its energy weapon.”

"The situation when more than fifty days have passed between the fifth and sixth sanctions packages against Russia is not acceptable to us. It is good that we see progress in approving the sixth EU sanctions package. We hope that the sixth package will be approved in the near future," Zelenskyy said at the joint presser, alongside his Slovak counterpart. 

'It may have taken too long..': Zelenskyy

Ukraine’s president welcomed the European Union leaders’ recent approval of the sixth round of partial sanctions on the Russian oil exports, as well as the disconnection of Sberbank from the SWIFT system. As EU's heads of the state convened meeting in Brussels to approve the sixth round of sanctions on Moscow, Zelenskyy lamented that it may have taken too long for European Union leaders to agree on the oil import cut, noting that the last such package was announced about two months ago.

"On the 44th day of the war, the EU's fifth sanctions package was imposed, 52 days gave passed since then. What happened," Zelenskyy questioned while addressing the EU Emergency Summit in Brussels. The Ukrainian leader also appealed for the union to "uphold the desired unity" in weakening Russia's war machine. He added, "Europe needs to show strength because Russia only sees strength as an argument". Furthermore, he asked the EU leaders to stop being "fragmented" and help Kyiv counter Russian aggression "as one whole." The new EU sanctions immediately cut over two-thirds of oil imports from Russia for the member countries. 

The draft of the message on Summit's conclusion mentioned that the bloc "resolutely condemns Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine," according to RFL. EU urged Russia "to immediately stop its indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, and to immediately and unconditionally withdraw all its troops and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders."