- Ukrainian leader calls for ‘maximum’ sanctions against Russia
DAVOS, Switzerland: Ukrainian President Zelensky called for ‘maximum’ sanctions against Russia in a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF 2022) in Davos via a video call.
He also said that businesses needed to ‘completely withdraw’ from Russia, and that there should be no trade with the country in order for the world to set a precedent.
His speech came as the UNHCR announced Monday that 6.5 million people have so far fled the war-torn country.
He called for the ‘maximum’ sanctions to be implemented, as the current ones had not yet reached that level.
And he said an oil embargo was also necessary.
If aggressors lose everything, countries would lose motivation to start wars, said the Ukrainian president.
He also highlighted during his virtual address that the war wouldn’t have happened if preventative sanctions had been applied to Russia.
Zelensky explained that the international community should not use sanctions to respond to conflicts, but to prevent them from happening.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told political and business leaders at the World Economic Forum that trade with Russia should be cut off completely.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for further sanctions on Russia and an international oil embargo during his virtual address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Monday.
What did Zelenskyy say?
During the speech, Zelenskyy warned that history is at a “turning point.”
“History remembers many moments when everything changed dramatically,” Ukraine’s leader said, referring to Sarajevo in 1914 and Munich in 1938, two events before WWI and WWII respectively.
“This is really the moment when it is decided whether brute force will rule the world,” he said.
He said Ukrainian resistance to Russia’s invasion shows “the understanding that you need to fight for freedom.” He said Ukraine needs “all the weapons we ask for.”
He said Ukraine needs funding of at least $5 billion (€4.6 billion) per month.
“If we would have received 100% of our needs at once, back in February, the results would be tens of thousands of lives saved, this is why Ukraine needs all the weapons, that we ask, not just the ones that we’ve been provided,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy urged a total ban on trade with Russia and called on leaders to “take part in the rebuilding” of Ukraine.
“There has to be a precedent for punishing the aggressor,” Zelenskyy said. “If aggressors lose everything, countries would lose motivation to start wars.”
Other Ukrainian officials to also attend Davos, Russian leaders not invited
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and a Ukrainian delegation will also attend the forum.
Russian officials have not been invited to the meeting.
“The forum has completely severed ties with Russia,” DW correspondent Emily Sherwin said, who is attending the event.
