Zelensky appreciates the new package of sanctions of the European Union to Russia

MADRID, 31 May. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenski, assured late on Monday that he appreciates the sixth package of sanctions from the European Union, but in his opinion "it has been a long time without European sanctions being strengthened."

"The pause to agree on new sanctions in Europe has been too long. The fifth package of sanctions was presented on April 8, therefore, a long time has passed without the European sanctions against Russia being strengthened," Zelensky stressed in a communiqué of the President of Ukraine.

Thus, he has stated that he appreciates that "Charles Michel, President of the European Council, supports the interests of Ukraine, the interests of all of Europe", however "Russia must feel a much higher price for its aggression".

For Zelensky, "the more complete the abandonment of Russian oil, the greater the benefit for Europe itself in the end."

"Because Russia has blocked our ports on the Black Sea and seized our part of the Azov Sea coast, we cannot export 22 million tons of grain that are already in our country's warehouses," he said. the Ukrainian president, adding that "Russia's blockade of Ukrainian exports is destabilizing the situation on a world scale."

Thus, Zelensky stressed that Russia is "deliberately creating this problem so that all of Europe has difficulties and so that Ukraine does not receive billions of dollars for its exports."

He also warned that "the Russian invaders have already stolen at least half a million tons of grain and now they are looking for a way to sell it illegally somewhere."

On the other hand, the President of Ukraine described the current situation of Russia's offensive in Ukraine: "in the Lugansk region, the occupiers have interrupted the evacuation of the zones of hostilities by shooting at a car".

In addition, he has condemned the death of the journalist of the French channel BFMTV Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff in the Ukrainian region of Severodonetsk and has sent his condolences to the family: "my sincere condolences to the colleagues and family of Frédéric", he said.

The president has assured that "the situation in Donbas continues to be extremely difficult" because there "the maximum combat power of the Russian Army is now gathered".

"Severodonetsk, Lisichansk, Bakhmut, Avdivka, Kurakhov, Sloviansk and some other settlements remain key targets for the occupants in this direction," he added.

On the other hand, he denounced that "Russian troops have returned to bomb Kharkov and the territory of the Sumy region."