President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in an online meeting of leaders to discuss support for Ukraine. The meeting was attended by representatives of the European Union, NATO and other states. The summit was co-chaired by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Zelenskyy reminded that on 11 March, the United States proposed a 30-day ceasefire, which could become the basis for discussing the conditions for real peace. However, according to the President, Russia is doing everything possible to prevent this by spreading false information about the complexity of the ceasefire and the situation at the front.
‘This is Russia’s war – more than three years of full-scale hostilities and destruction. To stop it, we need not just dialogue, but active pressure on Russia. Decisive measures must be taken to make the first steps towards ending the conflict. Sanctions against Russia should not only be maintained, but also constantly strengthened,’ Zelenskyy stressed.
The President also called on the partners to formulate a clear position on security guarantees, continue work on the deployment of international contingents and define obligations for their functioning. He also stressed the need to accelerate defence production and strengthen air defence both in Ukraine and in Europe.
‘Listening to Russia’s opinion on the contingent sends a very bad signal. The contingent should be deployed on Ukrainian soil. This is a guarantee of security for Ukraine and for Europe. If Putin wants to introduce a foreign contingent on the territory of Russia, this is his business, but not his right to decide on the security of Ukraine and Europe,’ Volodymyr Zelenskyy summed up.