Asking The West To 'Stop Playing' With Russia, President Zelensky Wants Forced Pressure To End War

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

JAKARTA - President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the West to stop playing games with Russia and impose tougher sanctions on Moscow, to end the senseless war in Ukraine.

In addition, President Zelensky said his country would remain independent> The only question is, at what price to pay.

President Zelensky's criticism of the West has intensified in recent days, as the European Union moves slowly toward a possible embargo on Russia's oil. And, when thousands of Russian troops tried to lay siege to the two main cities east of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk.

Three months after its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has halted its offensive in the capital Kyiv and is seeking to consolidate control over the industrial eastern Donbas region, where it has supported a separatist insurgency since 2014.

Western military analysts see the battles of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk as a potential turning point in the war, after a shift in momentum towards Russia following the surrender of the Ukrainian garrison in Mariupol last week.

"Ukraine will always be an independent country and will not be damaged. The only question is what price our people have to pay for their freedom, and what price Russia will pay for this senseless war against us," President Zelensky said in a speech. late on Thursday, Reuters reported, May 27.

"The ongoing catastrophic events can still be stopped if the world treats the situation in Ukraine as if it is facing the same situation, if the existing powers do not play games with Russia but really insist on ending the war," he stressed.

President Zelensky complained about disagreements within the European Union about further sanctions against Russia, asking why some countries were allowed to block the plan.

The European Union is discussing a sixth round of punitive measures, including an embargo on Russian oil imports. Such a move requires unanimity. However, Hungary is against the idea for now, arguing its economy would suffer too much.

"How many more weeks will the EU try to agree on a sixth package?" President Zelensky asked, noting Russia receives one billion euros a day from the 27-nation bloc for energy supplies.

"Pressure on Russia is literally a matter of saving lives. Every day delays, weakness, various disputes or proposals to 'calm down' the aggressor at the expense of victims only means more Ukrainians are being killed," he said.

To note, President Zelensky's latest comments mark the second day in a row that he has sharpened his criticism of the world's approach to war.