Zelensky: Russia Determined to Continue the War, Odessa and Neighboring Countries Under Threat
Zelensky: Russia Determined to Continue the War, Odessa and Neighboring Countries Under Threat
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that allied countries must pressure Russia into peace, saying, “You all see, Putin does not want to end this war.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that the Russian army wants to capture the city of Odessa, stating, “Russian military plans point to this region, to Odessa, and then to the borders of Moldova and Romania.”
The 4th Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit was held in the city of Odessa, Ukraine.
The summit was attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Romanian President Nicușor Dan, Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Albanian Parliament Speaker Elisa Spiropali, North Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning Izet Mexhiti, Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon, and other guests.
Speaking at the summit, Zelensky thanked the leaders of various countries for their participation.
Recalling that the Russia-Ukraine war continues, Zelensky stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to prolong the war.
Zelensky noted that intense Russian airstrikes against his country continue and that Russians launch around 300 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) every night.
He stated that they have started working on producing domestic interceptor UAVs to defend energy infrastructure, saying, “As soon as the Russians figure out where our air defense systems are, they attack them, so we are constantly changing the locations of our air defense systems.”
“You all see, Putin does not want to end this war”
Zelensky emphasized that allied countries must force Russia into peace, saying, “You all see, Putin does not want to end this war.”
He stated that Ukraine needs more weapons and air defense systems to prevent Russian attacks, and also called for sanctions pressure to be maintained on Moscow.
Zelensky expressed satisfaction with the announcement of the 18th sanctions package by the European Union (EU) against Russia, and argued that the price of Russian Brent crude oil should be reduced to 30 dollars per barrel.
Odessa and the borders of Moldova and Romania are in Russia’s crosshairs
Zelensky claimed that Russia poses a threat not only to Ukraine but also to its neighbors.
He stated that they are fighting not only for the protection of Ukraine but also for the security of the entire region, and that the security of the region must be strengthened to prevent potential threats from Russia.
Zelensky emphasized that Russia wants to capture the city of Odessa, and said:
“This beautiful city is a target for Russia. Just as it has destroyed countless cities and villages in the occupied territories, it also wants to destroy this one. Russian military plans point to this region, to Odessa, and then to the borders of Moldova and Romania. Of course, we need protection now. But more importantly, we need long-term guarantees that this will never happen again.”