EU preparing new sanctions package against Russia, pressure on energy sector needed – Zelenskyy

Zelenskyy says what should be in next EU sanctions package

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that a new EU sanctions package against Russia is being prepared.

He said this at a briefing with the president of Cyprus, who is on a visit to Kyiv, Censor.NET reports.

"EU leaders are now preparing a new sanctions package, and we want to make it truly effective. This means continued pressure first and foremost on Russia’s energy sector, and on everything else that brings budget revenues to Russia and therefore allows it to drag this war out," the president stressed.

Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine would be grateful to Cyprus for further joint efforts concerning the Russian tanker fleet and Russian sanctions-evasion schemes.

Russian assets

"We are counting on Cyprus to support joint European decisions on Russian assets. It is an entirely fair principle that Russia must pay for the war it itself started and continues.

The funds needed for defence and for reconstruction after Russian strikes can quite rightly be taken from the assets that the aggressor itself has left in the hands of the free world," he added.