Zelensky: US lifting of sanctions on Russia will not stop the war, it is only the first step

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed the conviction that Washington will continue to ease the sanctions pressure on Russia, but such measures will not become an instrument for stopping the full-scale invasion.

Assessment of US actions

Commenting on the current situation, the head of state noted that the easing of restrictions will continue. In his words, the previously reached agreement on diesel fuel was only the first stage of this process.

«Я вважаю, що зняття санкцій (з Росії - ред.) будуть продовжуватися. Дизельна угода - це перший крок», - said Zelensky. (I believe that the lifting of sanctions (on Russia - ed.) will continue. The diesel deal is the first step.)

Reaction of the Russian leader

In the opinion of the Ukrainian leader, such steps will not be able to force Volodymyr Putin to stop the aggression. On the contrary, Zelensky emphasises, the Russian dictator feels joy that he has such support.

Expectations from Washington

At the same time, the President of Ukraine underlined that Kyiv expects actions by the American president aimed at stopping the killings, strikes on energy infrastructure, and ending the war in general.

«Але ми дуже сподіваємось, що президент США буде робити все, щоб Путін зупинив вбивства, удари по нашій енергетиці, зупинив цю війну. Обмеженням відповідей України по РФ, яка вбиває наших людей, цього не зробиш. І зняттям санкцій тим більше», - emphasised the president. (But we very much hope that the US president will do everything to make Putin stop the killings, the strikes on our energy sector, and stop this war. You cannot achieve this by limiting Ukraine's responses to the Russian Federation, which is killing our people. And even less so by lifting sanctions.)