Ukraine has consistently taken concrete steps toward ending the war, but pressure must also be applied to Russia.
President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized this during a press conference in Ankara following talks with Turkish President Recep Erdoğan, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.
“There have been numerous diplomatic efforts— and we were open to any format that could bring all parties closer to ending the war. But it cannot be unilateral, coming only from one side. Pressure must not be one-directional. That’s why we strongly advocate for visible pressure on Russia, on Putin—through sanctions imposed by Europe, the United States, and other countries. At the very least, sanctions,” Zelensky stated.
He further noted that, from the beginning, President Trump’s approach was to apply pressure in both directions, with Ukraine under greater pressure than Russia.
“This is my position. Step by step, Ukraine has demonstrated that the issue does not lie with us. Ukraine stands firm, defending itself—we will not surrender our lives or our land. That is the answer. But this does not mean we are aggressors. Step by step, we have reaffirmed this on various diplomatic platforms, accepting numerous compromises. The fact that discussions now center around a full ceasefire as a crucial step for Ukraine is, in itself, a compromise,” the President stated.
Zelensky emphasized that securing a ceasefire must come first, followed by discussions on how to monitor its enforcement.
According to him, achieving a full and unconditional ceasefire is the most important. “It is possible. This is not a war from a century ago. With media and the internet available, meetings aren’t always necessary—there’s no need to overcomplicate the process. We can reach an agreement on a ceasefire and then address monitoring and other measures,” the head of state said.
In his view, if the parties begin debating the details of the broader framework leading to the end of the war, years could pass with no resolution.
“That’s why everyone is saying: let’s start with a 30-day ceasefire. Right now, the entire world stands united in support of an unconditional ceasefire. No one is insisting that we must first negotiate the complete end of the war. Everyone backs this step because it is clear—it will stop the killing. There may be violations, but there will not be large-scale ones. (There may be – ed.) some shots, but the artillery will be silent,” he said.
As reported by Ukrinform, President Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine would send its delegation to Istanbul, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, for talks.
Source: ‘At least sanctions’: Zelensky urges stronger pressure on Russia to achieve peace
