Maximum isolation of Russia, cap oil price to $30 per barrel are necessary to end war – Zelenskyy
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for limiting world oil prices to $30 per barrel and maximum isolation of Russia to end the war in Ukraine and deprive Russia of the ability to attack any other states.
"To really end this war and create a lasting peace, we must act in two main directions. The first is the maximum isolation of Russia. This means political isolation, sanctions of any kind, and the interruption of any cooperation that helps them survive and continue the war. Any scheme that is in place must be stopped… But what really hurts them and really limits their ability to wage war is the ceiling of $30 per barrel. The world must reach this level," Zelenskyy said in an address to the Senate and House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament on Tuesday.
He said that any drop in Russian oil revenues helps bring peace closer. "We need the 18th package. We need real, painful sanctions against Russian oil," the president said.
Zelenskyy added that such actions would not only stop Russia's war against Ukraine, but would also make impossible "any future military operations that Russia may launch against Europe and the Alliance." "Military plans must become deadly expensive for Russia. We need to block their tanker fruit and cut them off from the international banking system. This is what works," the head of state said.
The second direction, he said, is "stability in defense support." "I urge you to support long-term programs of support and cooperation with Ukraine. Russia must see that Ukraine will not be left alone and that Europe will not retreat," Zelenskyy said in the address.
He noted that "Russia is stronger than any of us alone, but it is weaker than all of us together."
Zelenskyy also said since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has used 28,743 Shahed attack drones and in June of this year alone has launched 2,736 such drones over Ukraine. "Russia would never have been able to do this without its ties with the Iranian regime. And we in Ukraine would never have shot down these drones without your solidarity and the support of our partners," the Ukrainian head of state said.
