Ukraine faces months of diplomatic and military pressure, Zelensky says
KYIV: President Volodymyr Zelensky said the spring and summer months would be difficult for Ukraine as it would face pressure on the battlefield and also diplomatically to end the war.
Zelensky said Ukraine’s partners had asked Kyiv to reduce its strikes on Russia’s oil sector as global prices surged due to the Iran war and escalating tensions in the Middle East. He did not name the partners.
But he said that if Russia wanted to de-escalate, it should halt its own strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities and agree to resume trilateral peace talks, mediated by Washington.
He acknowledged, however, that the US was currently reluctant to dedicate much more time to the peace process in Ukraine.
“This spring–summer period will be quite difficult politically and diplomatically. There may be pressure on Ukraine,” Zelensky told reporters in remarks released by his office on Friday. “There will also be pressure on the battlefield.”
“I believe it will be very difficult for us until September.”
Zelensky reiterated his calls for more international pressure on Russia. With a two-week ceasefire announced by the US and Iran on Tuesday, Zelensky expressed hope that US sanctions on Russian oil — temporarily eased during the conflict — would be fully reinstated.
In March, the US issued a 30-day waiver for countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products in an attempt to stabilize global energy markets roiled by the Iran war.
