Russia must pay steepest price for war, compensate for all damage - Zelensky
The Russian Federation must pay the steepest price for its war against Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine stated this during a joint briefing with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
The Ukrainian head of state noted that during the talks with the head of the British government, the two discussed the issue of stepping up Russia sanctions. Zelensky thanked Johnson for his personal integrity and leadership in this regard.
"We put forward our proposals and groundwork. We can make sanctions very tangible to make sure that Russia feels the consequences of its terrorist acts against Ukraine and international stability. The aggressor must pay the price for this aggression, for this war. The steepest price. Russia must also compensate for all the damage it has caused to our businesses and our community," said the president.
In addition, Zelensky stated that Russia should be held to account for the food security crisis that it has precipitated. Russia is squarely responsible for the deficit of food on the global market due to the interruption of navigation to and from Ukrainian ports, he stressed.
"Africa and Asia should be protected from famine, as well as all peoples in the world, who must have access to the essentials and basic products. If it had not been for the Russian aggression, we would not have had this deficit," said the Ukrainian leader.
At the same time, Zelensky said that he had discussed with Johnson Ukraine's need for economic and financial support. He clarified that it is not only about finances, but also about resolving the issue of fuel shortage provoked by the Russian bombing of the Ukrainian refineries and storage facilities.
"We also discussed the difficult issue of ensuring our needs for the heating season," the Ukrainian head of state added, thanking the British prime minister for his commitment to helping Ukraine in this matter.
At the same time, Zelensky said that among the topics for discussion were the results of the meeting of defense ministers of more than 40 countries in the Ramstein 3 format. He expressed gratitude to the United Kingdom for its defense assistance to Ukraine.
"We also took our work further in terms of Ukraine’s security guarantees to ensure Ukraine’s stability, European stability, and stability worldwide," Zelensky said.
In addition, the president of Ukraine said that the two leaders had discussed intensifying joint efforts to demine Ukrainian territories.
"We are preparing to fill the process of rebuilding our state with practical steps. There is no doubt that we will prevail, so we are already preparing for post-war reconstruction after our victory," Zelensky added.
He commended Britain’s help in the reconstruction of Kyiv region, affected by the Russian invaders.
As Ukrinform reported, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson arrived in Kyiv on June 17 for the second time since a full-scale Russian invasion.
Earlier, the British prime minister previously visited the Ukrainian capital on April 9.
The British government, led by Johnson, and his country were among pioneers of principled and unwavering support for Ukraine, becoming a guide for many other nations.
Photo: Ukrainian President’s Office