We must force Putin to peace, not ask him for it - Sybiha
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has not shown any willingness to make peace. He should not be asked, but forced to make peace.
This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Sybiha during a joint press conference with his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg on Wednesday in Vienna, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrinform.
"Russia continues its brutal attacks on Ukraine's energy system, and the latest attack was one of the largest. Russian missiles even targeted the facilities of our nuclear system. This is important to emphasize because it created a real risk of a nuclear incident. In such cases, distance does not mean anything, it really creates a threat of a nuclear incident when the target is our nuclear energy system facilities," he said.
According to Sybiha, this latest massive Russian air strike was " Putin' s real response to all those who have recently visited him and called him."
Putin has made it clear that he wants war, and he continues to speak the language of ultimatums. We must force him to peace, not ask him for it," the Ukrainian minister emphasized.
He noted that Russia is deliberately escalating, involving North Korean troops, but also using energy as a weapon, including outside Ukraine.
"Austria felt it directly a few days ago (after Gazprom cut off gas supplies to Austrian OMV - ed.), but our common task is to resist pressure and blackmail. The same applies to Russian nuclear blackmail, changes in nuclear doctrine and recent threats that should be considered blackmail. Russia has repeatedly used these tactics to scare Ukraine, Europe and the world. We must remain resilient and not give in to fear," Sybiha said.
Against this backdrop, the Ukrainian minister thanked Austria for its support of international law and President Zelenskyy's Peace Formula, as well as for its humanitarian and financial assistance to Ukraine.
He expressed hope that the next Austrian federal government "will continue a constructive dialogue for the benefit of our peoples."
"I thank the minister and all Austrians for proving that neutrality does not mean indifference," the Ukrainian Foreign Minister added in conclusion.
