Zelenskyy: US sanctions against Russia should be imposed immediately
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that the U.S. should tighten sanctions against Russia immediately, regardless of whether the late Senator Lindsey Graham's bill to increase sanctions pressure on Russia is passed.
"Sanctions must be imposed now. Whether through the Lindsey Graham bill or by a decision of the [Trump] administration, the sanctions must be stronger. Because this is a tool available to the United States – a non-military tool – to deprive Russia of the ability to finance its war against Ukraine and against its people on a daily basis," Zelenskyy said at the Yalta European Strategy (YES) forum.
"To be honest, sometimes I don't understand why it's so difficult to make decisions quickly. Because during a war, it's sometimes better to make a decision that isn't perfect than to do nothing at all," the president said.
According to him, decisions regarding economic and energy sanctions against Russia, as well as restrictions on its production of ballistic missiles and other weapons, must be adopted without delay.
"What are we doing? What are we waiting for? For what? Every day, Russia uses ballistic missiles – ten, twenty, fifty. Every person matters," Zelenskyy said.
At the same time, he called the passage of the Graham bill symbolic and important, highlighting its support for Ukraine, and also noted the need for strong decisions from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.