EU Must End "Internal Disputes", Adopt Sanctions Against Russia: Zelensky
Russia-Ukraine War: Zelensky said "greater unity" in the bloc was the only effective way to counter Russia, stressing Kyiv has shown how important unity can be while battling the Russian invasion.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the EU on Monday to end internal "quarrels" saying they only helped Moscow and asked the bloc to adopt more sanctions against Russia.
"All quarrels in Europe must end, internal disputes that only encourage Russia to put more and more pressure on you," Zelensky told an EU summit in Brussels via video-link.
"It is time for you to be not separate, not fragments, but one whole," he said, calling for a new set of sanctions against Russia, including a ban on Russian oil.
EU divisions have slowed the adoption of another sanctions package against Russia, with Hungary saying it will not back an oil embargo against Moscow.
"It is clear that there should be progress in sanctions against Russia," Zelensky said.
"Unfortunately, for a reason that escapes me, we are still not there," he added, as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban remains the main obstacle to agreeing an embargo on Russian oil.
Zelensky said "greater unity" in the bloc was the only effective way to counter Russia, stressing Kyiv has shown how important unity can be while battling the Russian invasion.
"If someone torpedoes a ship, it's impossible for one or more cabins to have hope to stay afloat when others drown," Zelensky said.
He also said he hoped that those EU countries that oppose fast-tracking Kyiv's EU candidacy status will "change their minds."
"We have met all the necessary criteria for this status," the Ukrainian leader said.
Ukraine has been angered by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's comments that Kyiv's bid to join the EU cannot be sped up despite Russia's invasion.
"All quarrels in Europe must end, internal disputes that only encourage Russia to put more and more pressure on you," Zelensky told an EU summit in Brussels via video-link.
"It is time for you to be not separate, not fragments, but one whole," he said, calling for a new set of sanctions against Russia, including a ban on Russian oil.
EU divisions have slowed the adoption of another sanctions package against Russia, with Hungary saying it will not back an oil embargo against Moscow.
"It is clear that there should be progress in sanctions against Russia," Zelensky said.
"Unfortunately, for a reason that escapes me, we are still not there," he added, as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban remains the main obstacle to agreeing an embargo on Russian oil.
Zelensky said "greater unity" in the bloc was the only effective way to counter Russia, stressing Kyiv has shown how important unity can be while battling the Russian invasion.
"If someone torpedoes a ship, it's impossible for one or more cabins to have hope to stay afloat when others drown," Zelensky said.
He also said he hoped that those EU countries that oppose fast-tracking Kyiv's EU candidacy status will "change their minds."
"We have met all the necessary criteria for this status," the Ukrainian leader said.
Ukraine has been angered by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's comments that Kyiv's bid to join the EU cannot be sped up despite Russia's invasion.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
