Russia-Ukraine war: ‘Target everything that funds Russia's war machine…,’ says Zelensky | What we know so far

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with several European leaders, including European Council President António Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and the Prime Ministers of the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden.

During these discussions, he emphasised the need to intensify pressure on Russia and stressed that a ceasefire is the first step toward achieving peace. The talks also focused on strengthening military support, improving Ukraine's air defence and defence production capabilities, and accelerating Ukraine's path toward European Union membership.

Also Read: Russia, Ukraine agree on 1,000-prisoner swap, but no ceasefire; Kyiv says Moscow made ‘unacceptable demands’

Zelensky traveled to Tirana, Albania, where he joined leaders from 47 European nations to discuss matters of security, defense, and democratic values in the context of the ongoing war. While there, he held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, as reported by AP.

In a post on X, Zelensky wrote, “I held a meeting with the President of the European Council @eucopresident, Antonio Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula @vonderleyen. I informed them on today's negotiations in Istanbul. Pressure on Russia must increase if it does not agree to a full and unconditional ceasefire. I am therefore grateful for the preparation of the 17th sanctions package. We expect it to target everything that funds Russia's war machine: banks, oil, energy, metallurgy, and the shadow fleet.”

He added, “Special attention was given to our path toward the EU -- the possibility of swiftly opening negotiation clusters and trade cooperation. Thank you for supporting Ukraine and helping bring us closer to a just peace.”

Also Read: Ukraine’s Zelensky blasts Vladimir Putin’s no-show at peace talks: ‘Russia does not intend to end the war’

He also emphasised the importance of increasing international pressure on Russia and reiterated that achieving a full ceasefire is the first step toward a reliable peace. The post added, “I spoke about today's meeting in Istanbul and the importance of increasing pressure on Russia to achieve a full ceasefire as the first step toward reliable peace. We also discussed our country's needs: strengthening air defence and investing in our defence production -- everything that helps save lives from Russian aggression and restore security for our people.”

Meanwhile, while attending the European Political Community Summit in Tirana, Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk held a phone call with US President Donald Trump.

Earlier, Putin rejected Zelensky's proposal for a direct meeting in Turkey. Zelensky criticised Moscow for not being genuinely committed to ending the conflict, pointing to Russia's decision to send a low-ranking delegation as evidence.

Also Read: Donald Trump throws cold water on Ukraine peace talks: ‘Nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together’

Reuters reported that Russia seeks to end the war through diplomacy and is open to talks about a ceasefire. However, it has expressed concerns that Ukraine might exploit any pause in fighting to regroup, mobilise more troops, and secure additional weapons from Western allies.

With Russian troops occupying roughly one-fifth of Ukraine, Russian President Putin has demanded that Kyiv surrender territory, give up its aspirations to join NATO, and adopt a neutral stance. Ukraine firmly rejects these conditions, viewing them as equivalent to surrender. Instead, it is pursuing security assurances from major global powers, particularly the United States, Reuters reported.

(With inputs from agencies)