Sanctions, stable financing key to ending war with Russia, Zelenskyy says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said ending the war with Russia would be possible by weakening Moscow’s economy through sanctions and ensuring predictable, long-term financial support for Ukraine.

Speaking during an online briefing with journalists while travelling to Brussels, Zelenskyy said diplomacy could only be effective if Ukraine negotiated from a position of strength. He pointed to the proposed “reparations loan” for 2026–2027 as an important signal that Ukraine would remain economically resilient and capable of resisting pressure, Caliber.Az reports via Ukrainian media. 

Zelenskyy identified sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector as another critical tool, saying they were necessary to reduce Russia’s economic capacity to fund the war. He stressed that limiting Moscow’s financial resources would constrain its ability to sustain military operations.

The Ukrainian president also outlined three key issues in any peace negotiations: the future of the Donbas region, the reparations loan, and the status of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). He said the United States had proposed a compromise under which the plant would continue operating under a tripartite arrangement, but Kyiv considered the proposal unfair.

According to Zelenskyy, issues such as access to the facility, its militarisation, and coordination with the International Atomic Energy Agency would need to be addressed.

Zelenskyy said frozen Russian assets held in Western countries, estimated at around $200 billion, could be used to rebuild Ukraine and support its armed forces and defence industry once the war ends. He added that decisions on the use of those funds would depend on the political will of the European Union.

He warned that without access to such resources, Ukraine would be in a weaker position, making it more vulnerable to continued Russian aggression and reducing the prospects for meaningful diplomacy.

Zelenskyy arrived in Brussels on December 18, where European Union leaders are expected to make a final decision on the proposed reparations loan. He said Ukraine remained committed to pursuing a diplomatic end to the war and was relying on continued international support to achieve a lasting peace.

By Sabina Mammadli