Zelenskyy hopes for tougher US sanctions against Russia over strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expects the United States to ratchet up sanctions against Russia soon due to its violation of the energy truce.

Source: Zelenskyy at a press conference with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Kyiv on 1 April, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Zelenskyy believes that following agreements in Saudi Arabia to halt strikes on energy facilities, "we have reached the point of increasing sanctions pressure".

"Because I believe that the Russians are violating what they promised to America – at least what America told us publicly. And we very much hope that President Trump has all the appropriate tools to increase sanctions pressure on the Russian side," he added.

Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv has presented the US with evidence at various levels of Russia's violations of agreements not to target the energy sector with missiles, adding, "we see that America is gradually beginning to acknowledge this".

"We'd like this to extend beyond communication between our sides.  We would like to see significant progress. Words alone are not enough for us, with all due respect to our strategic partners. Sanctions are very significant to us," Zelenskyy said.

Background: On 30 March, US President Donald Trump stated that he was "very angry" and "pissed off" with Putin for talking about an interim administration in Ukraine. He also threatened to impose additional sanctions on Russian oil if Moscow does not come to the negotiating table and stop the fighting in Ukraine.

Trump also said that there is a "psychological deadline" for Russia to agree to a complete ceasefire in Ukraine.

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