KYIV: President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine needs European financial support to continue fighting Russian forces for another two or three years.
Kyiv has been largely dependent on military and financial support from allies abroad to hold off Moscow's army, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
"I emphasized this again to all European leaders. I told them that we are not going to fight for decades, but you must show that for some time you will be able to provide stable financial support to Ukraine," Zelensky said in comments released Tuesday.
Russia’s frozen assets
"And that is why they have this program in mind –- 2-3 years," Zelensky said, referring to Brussels' plans to tap Russia's frozen assets to help Kyiv.
EU leaders last week tasked the European Commission to move ahead with options for funding Ukraine for two more years, leaving the door open for a mammoth loan using tens of billions of euros in Russian state assets that the bloc has frozen.
"If the war ends in a month, we will spend this money on recovery. If it does not end in a month, but after some time, then we will spend it on weapons. We simply have no other choice," Zelensky added.
‘Strong moves’
The Ukrainian leader also urged US President Donald Trump to pressure Chinese leader Xi Jinping to cut his support for Russia when the two leaders meet later this week.
"I think this may be one of (Trump's) strong moves, especially if, following this decisive sanctions step, China is ready to reduce imports" from Russia, Zelensky told journalists, including AFP, at a briefing released Tuesday.
Trump hit two major Russian oil companies with sanctions last week and has been urging buyers of Moscow's vital energy exports -- specifically China and India -- to cut their purchases that Washington and Kyiv say fund Russia's invasion.
As the war drags through its fourth year, Russia is pushing forward across the front line, at significant cost.
‘Main target’
Zelensky conceded that Russian forces have gained a foothold in the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, an important former rail hub that Moscow has been trying to capture for over a year.
"Around 200 Russians are located there in various places -- we see this from drones. Pokrovsk is currently the main target for the Russians," Zelensky said.
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