Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says international community must increase pressure on Russia to end war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that the war against Ukraine will not truly end unless the international community increases pressure on Russia, citing continued strikes and efforts to disrupt Ukraine's maritime logistics.

In a video message posted on social media, Zelenskyy reviewed the past week's developments, including Russian air attacks on the Odesa region.

He said Russia is seeking to block Ukraine's access to maritime routes.

"The world must not remain silent about this," Zelenskyy said. "Everyone must see that without pressure on Russia, they have no intention of genuinely ending their aggression. The pressure must increase."

Zelenskyy welcomed a decision by the European Union on Friday to jointly borrow €90 billion ($105 billion) to fund a loan to Ukraine over two years, providing a critical financial lifeline for the country's budget and military needs.

"We are concluding this historic week for Ukraine-a significant diplomatic week. The main outcome is that we have secured €90 billion for Ukraine for two years. This is the key result of December and, in many respects, an important outcome of the entire year. Europe has taken a positive decision. We fought for this decision for a very long time, and I want to thank everyone who helped."

Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine will receive €45 billion annually over the next two years as part of the EU's loan package, emphasizing that the funds must ultimately be repaid using frozen Russian assets.

He reinforced the principle that "Russia must pay for its war."

Zelenskyy also said that talks aimed at ending the conflict are continuing in the US, with another meeting scheduled for Sunday in Florida. He said the discussions include potential security guarantees, timelines and possible time frames for specific decisions.

He added that Ukraine's delegation in the US will brief him on the outcome of the meetings.