In any case, Europe will have to impose really principled and strong sanctions against Russia – Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Europe would have to impose "principled and strong" sanctions against Russia in any case.

Assessing the 5th package of EU sanctions adopted on Friday, Zelensky said in a video message: "We know who is constantly trying to soften the sanction proposals, and we will do everything to finally make Europe understand: in any case, we will have to impose really principled and really strong sanctions against Russia, and not some partial restriction of the Russian energy exports, not some partial restriction of Russian navigation.

"We know everyone who is delaying this decision, but I am sure that these politicians and these countries will change their position under the pressure of everything that Russia is doing against Ukrainians, against freedom in Europe," the president stressed.

He also called for Russian banks to be completely disconnected from the global financial system. "Not some of them, but all of them, the entire banking system. It cannot be that the greatest threat to global security finds ways to global wealth," Zelensky said.