Russia, firing at the energy infrastructure in Ukraine, provokes a new wave of migration of Ukrainians to the countries of the European Union, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, speaking via video link to the participants of the European Council summit.

"Russia is provoking a new wave of migration of Ukrainians to EU countries. The Russian terror against our energy facilities is aimed at creating as many problems with electricity and heating in Ukraine as possible this autumn and winter, and so that more Ukrainians go to European countries," Zelensky said.

According to him, Russia, as a terrorist state, has already worsened social conditions in European countries, but wants to make them even worse. And this, the President stressed, must be answered immediately.

In particular, Zelensky noted, the first such response should be to provide Ukraine with more air and missile defense and called for speeding up the implementation of solutions.

“We must do everything possible to make it completely impossible for Russia to destroy our energy system with missiles and drones. We have already received a very effective IRIS-T system from Germany. I thank Mr. Chancellor for that. This German system protects not only Ukrainian skies. It protects European stability, limiting Russian terror, which strikes both our country and, in the future, your countries. But we need more air defense and anti-missile defense systems to create a truly reliable air shield,” the president said.

The second answer, according to Zelensky, should be powerful new sanctions against Russia and Iran for cooperation with a terrorist state.

"Although we have destroyed more than 200 Iranian drones this month alone, and dozens hit different targets, Iranian representatives are still lying that they did not transfer drones to Russia. Russia must pay for this terror. And this should be reflected in the ninth EU sanctions package. Iran should be deprived of any possibility or even desire to supply at least someone with such drones," he said.

Zelensky urged to prevent the transformation of the energy system of Ukraine and any other country in the world into a battlefield and to pay attention to those in the EU who advocate the easing of sanctions against Russia.

"Anyone who calls for the easing of sanctions against Russia for terror or tries to politically torpedo the sanctions mechanism is not only trying to make Russian terror unpunished and not only betrays the memory of the victims of terror, but also makes the entire European community dependent on the most anti-European force in the modern world. Pay attention to such voices in Europe – against Europe," the head of state noted.

Zelensky also emphasized that sanctions should also be imposed against Belarus, as the state from whose territory Ukraine was attacked.

"And every day the urgency of our proposal to send international observers to the border of Ukraine and Belarus, who could monitor the security situation, is added," the president concluded.