Volodymyr Zelensky calls for further sanctions on Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for new sanctions from the West in light of Russia's massively increased missile attacks on Ukraine.

"A new European sanctions package is needed," Zelensky said in a video message addressed to Irish students on Friday. "Russian aggression does not stop for a single day. Just as Russian lies to the world never stop. Therefore, for all this, the international pressure on Russia should not stop for a single day," Zelensky said.

Zelensky accused Moscow of violating the final declaration of the G20 summit on the Indonesian island of Bali, which was also supported by Russia, in numerous points.

The declaration emphasized the importance of international law and a multilateral system as a guarantor of peace and stability. Russia, however, continues to destroy international relations while pretending to fight together with all others against this destabilization, he said.

Moscow is mobilizing all its resources "to become the largest terrorist state in history," Zelensky said.

Despite major differences of opinion, the G20 group of leading industrialized and emerging countries had adopted a final declaration at the summit in which the vast majority of members strongly condemned the Russian war against Ukraine. Russia's dissenting position on this was also put on record.