President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the leaders of European Union countries, calling for continued and strengthened sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation. During his speech at the informal EU summit held in Cyprus on April 23, he emphasized that this is particularly important in light of the partial easing of American sanctions.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Stabilization of the front and Russia’s losses
The head of state stated that the current situation at the front for Ukraine has become more stable than in previous months and years. According to him, Russia is losing 30,000 to 35,000 military personnel each month, which creates significant pressure on its armed forces. Zelensky stressed that further complications for Russia could push it towards diplomatic steps.
“It is right to strengthen sanctions, especially considering that the Americans have eased some of theirs. The situation at the front in Ukraine is special now. Our positions are more stable than in previous months and years, and Russia is losing at least 30,000 to 35,000 soldiers every month. This is difficult for Russia, and we must make it even harder for them to push them towards diplomacy,” said Zelensky.
Critical need for air defense
The president emphasized that protecting Ukrainian airspace remains a priority. He noted that due to events in the Middle East and a shortage of missiles to defend against ballistic attacks, Ukraine needs additional support from partners. Zelensky appealed for support in purchasing missiles for the MIM-104 Patriot systems and expanding the production of air defense systems in Europe.
Moreover, the president highlighted the importance of creating an integrated system to protect Europe from drone attacks. He proposed using Ukrainian experience and production capacities to implement a joint European program to counter drones.
Regarding Eurointegration, Zelensky urged EU leaders to start negotiation clusters on Ukraine’s membership as soon as possible. He expressed hope that progress would be made in this direction by May and insisted on setting a clear date for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.
The president emphasized that Ukraine seeks full membership on equal terms with other EU states, stressing the need to accelerate this process to counter attempts by Russia to block the country’s Eurointegration path.
The situation at the front remains tense. On April 15, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, reported an intensification of offensive actions by the Russian army along almost the entire front line, which stretches for 1,200 kilometers. The most intense fighting has been observed in the Oleksandrivsk, Pokrovsk, Kostiantynivka, and Lyman directions.
At the beginning of April, Zelensky, citing British intelligence, noted that despite the difficult situation, it is currently the best for Ukraine in the last 10 months. Analysts from the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) also emphasized that by the end of March 2026, significant achievements by Russia on the battlefield, let alone its complete victory, do not seem inevitable.