Ukrainian president demands full sanctions, calls Russia’s leadership threat to Europe

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a powerful address at the Helsinki+50 conference, marking the 50th anniversary of the 1975 Helsinki Accords, where he strongly criticized Russia’s ongoing aggression and the ideological mindset of its leadership.

In his remarks, Zelenskyy condemned the Kremlin for continuing its war against Ukraine despite international appeals to cease hostilities, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

“Russia keeps launching such attacks, even when the whole world is calling on it to stop the war, a war that Russia started, a war that Russia keeps dragging on, a war that only the Russian leadership wants,” he said.

Zelenskyy accused Moscow's current leadership of being entrenched in an outdated and dangerous worldview, characterized by violence and repression.

“Mentally stuck in another century, a time of brutal violence … [and] total disregard for human rights and equality,” he said, warning, “We know that such ideas and such times must never return to Europe.”

He said that “a total rejection of the post-second world war world … is the foundation of the current regime in Russia,” but that Moscow “can be pushed to stop this war.”

To that end, Zelenskyy outlined concrete steps the international community must take, urging a more aggressive economic and strategic response to Russian aggression.

“We need to fully block Russia’s war machine, cut off its arms industry, limit its energy profits, and finally, put every frozen Russian asset including stolen wealth … to work, defending against the Russian aggression.

It’s time to confiscate the Russian assets, not just freeze them … to use them to serve peace, not war.”

Zelenskyy also issued a stark warning about the consequences of inaction:

“But if the world doesn’t aim to change the regime in Russia, that means, even after the war ends, Moscow will still try to destabilise neighbouring countries.”

In a nod to international cooperation, Zelenskyy praised Finnish President Alex Stubb and commented on his recent interactions with US President Donald Trump, highlighting the importance of transatlantic unity.

“Trump is truly interested in ending the war and we have to do everything we can to make sure the US and Europe act together for security,” he stated.

By Vafa Guliyeva