President Zelensky: Postponement Of Russia's Oil Embargo Takes Ukrainians' Lives

Presiden Ukraina Volodymyr Zelensky. (Wikimedia Commons/President Of Ukraine)

JAKARTA - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday called on Western politicians to immediately agree to an embargo on Russia's oil, complaining their failure to do so cost Ukrainian lives.

In a video address in the early hours of the morning, President Zelensky also said he would continue to insist that Russian banks be completely blocked from the international financial system.

Russia's six-week invasion of Ukraine has forced more than 4 million people to flee, killed or injured thousands, and left cities in ruins.

President Zelensky said Moscow makes so much money from oil exports that there is no need to take peace talks seriously and call on the democratic world to avoid Russian crude.

"Some politicians still can't decide how to limit the flow of petrodollars and euros of oil into Russia, so as not to harm their own economy," President Zelensky said, expecting the oil embargo to remain in place, cited from Reuters, April 7.

"The only question is, how many more Ukrainian men, how many more Ukrainian women, the Russian military will have time to kill in order for you, certain politicians, and we know who you are, to find a desire."

Previously, the United States targeted Russian banks and elites with a new round of sanctions on Wednesday. President Zelensky said the announcement was spectacular but not enough.

Russia says they are involved in special military operations designed to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraine and Western governments rejected it as a false pretext for its invasion.