Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Washington to impose “strong” measures against Russia after the European Union moved closer to enhanced sanctions on the Kremlin and amid surging tensions in the skies above NATO’s eastern flank.
Zelenskyy on September 20 also said he expects to meet with President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly next week, although Washington has not yet confirmed a face-to-face session.
“This week has brought us closer to finalizing the 19th [EU] sanctions package against Russian aggression; we expect its approval soon. Russia’s energy resources are being restricted,” Zelenskyy said.
“I am grateful that many of Ukraine’s proposals have been taken into account in the EU sanctions package. We now expect strong sanctions steps from the United States as well — Europe is doing its part.”
“We expect [US] sanctions if there is no meeting between the leaders or, for example, no cease-fire,” Zelenskyy added.
Zelenskyy also repeated his stance that he is ready to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who so far has rejected a gathering on neutral ground.
“We are ready for a meeting with Putin. I have spoken about this. Both bilateral and trilateral. [Putin] is not ready,” Zelenskyy added, referring to a possible three-way session also including Trump.
Trump, who has long expressed admiration for Putin, has voiced growing frustration with the Kremlin leader’s refusal to accept a cease-fire and his rejection of direct talks with Zelenskyy.
The US president has also said he was “very disappointed” with Putin following the recent series of intensified attacks on Ukrainian cites. That has led him to suggest new sanctions or tariffs against Russia, although no action has been taken.
Washington and Kyiv’s European allies have already imposed financial measures on Moscow following its February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine with a view to crippling the Russian economy, but Kyiv and its supporters are seeking more action.
Zelenskyy’s latest comments come amid activity on both diplomatic and military fronts, inside Ukraine and Russia as well as in the skies above NATO nations bordering the two warring countries.
On September 20, Polish and other NATO jets scrambled as Russia launched another massive drone and missile attack on Ukraine that killed at least three civilians.
The operation, which lasted around 90 minutes, underlined the heightened state of alert in NATO countries following the Russian incursions.
The wave of overnight strikes came shortly after NATO countries voiced outrage at a Russian incursion into Estonian airspace the previous day, as well as recent Russian drone incursions into Poland and Romania.
Czech President Petr Pavel on September 20 said NATO must respond forcefully to Russian violations — including potentially by shooting down Russian jets, according to a report by the Czech News Agency.
“Russia will realize very quickly that they have made a mistake and crossed the acceptable boundaries. Unfortunately, this is teetering on the edge of conflict, but giving in to evil is simply not an option,” Pavel was quoted as saying.
Following an incursion of Russian MiG-31 warplanes into its airspace — which the Kremlin denied — Estonia said it had requested NATO Article 4 consultations, leading the Western alliance to say it was organizing a meeting of its North Atlantic Council for next week.
Estonian officials said there was no need to invoke the more serious Article 5, NATO’s collective security clause.
Ukrainian forces also kept up the pressure on the Kremlin, targeting war-related industry’s deep inside Russia, mainly energy producing facilities.
The Russian Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 149 Ukrainian drones overnight on September 19-20, in a variety of locations including the Rostov, Saratov, Bryansk, and Samara regions, and over Russia-occupied Crimea.
A source in Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) told RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service that a number of oil pumping stations were put out of action.
While Russia regularly targets civilian infrastructure including housing, hospitals, and schools, Ukraine has waged a targeted campaign against Russia’s oil refineries — often deep inside the country — reportedly taking out nearly a fifth of Russia’s capacity.
Meanwhile, on September 19, the EU unveiled a fresh package of sanctions designed to hit Russia’s economy and cutoff the Kremlin’s means of financing its war.
Plans for the EU’s 19th sanctions package come amid recent comments by Trump calling on Europe to stop buying oil from Russia.
While announcing the proposed sanctions, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that “again and again, Putin has escalated, and in response, Europe is increasing its pressure.”
Von der Leyen said the main emphasis was on hitting Russia’s fossil fuel revenues, which drive its war in Ukraine.
In Washington, a bipartisan group of senators also introduced a bill to raise sanctions on the Russian energy sector, specifically targeting the shadow fleet.
