“Russia is trying to cause a blackout in Ukraine just before winter. Russia is trying to leave millions of people without electricity and heat. There must be pressure to stop this,” he said on Telegram.
“A blackout of US sanctions, easing pressure on the aggressor, monetary rewards for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin: all this only encourages him to continue striking,” he added.
The Ukrainian leader’s comments come after Russia carried out strikes on the war-torn country’s energy sector, including electricity generation and transmission facilities, with more than 320 Shahed jet drones, stray munitions, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. Electricity was reportedly cut off for around a million people.
They also come as US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday lifting key sanctions against Russia – a move that Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s special envoy for investment and economic cooperation, described as “an important and truly historic moment”. Trump’s decision comes just days after he reached a deal with Putin on the supply of barrels of diesel, leaving European countries and Ukraine stunned.
“Unfortunately, America has decided to completely ignore Lindsey Graham’s bill, which was supposed to introduce truly effective pressure on Russia to end this war,” Zelensky said. “This bill could have been very useful, and still can! But the law must actually work, and every vote in favor of it counts.”
This article has been updated. Veronika Melkozerova contributed reporting.
Gn headline
