If Russia does not cease fire, EU will impose tough sanctions – Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this at a briefing on Monday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"First of all, I'm not frustrated [by the lack of imposed sanctions on Russia], I'm very focused. We're living through a difficult time, and believe me, I'm focused because I know how to act in such circumstances. Without getting into unnecessary detail, I'm focused on results and clearly understand whom we can rely on — and whom we can't. The EU [sanctions] package will come, and it will be strong. There are set timelines, and no one is trying to rush anyone — there are dates, there are agreements, and I'm confident in that. Moreover, if there is no ceasefire from the Russian side, there will definitely be another strong European package to follow," Zelensky said.

At the same time, he noted that more work needs to be done on the sanctions package expected from the United States.

"As for the United States' package — that's a different story. We need to work together persistently with the U.S. so that, at the appropriate moment, they impose the necessary sanctions. This would be a big help — banking and energy sanctions in particular. A lot depends on the U.S. whether Putin and the Russian army will continue profiting from this war or not — and whether they'll face serious economic challenges," Zelensky said.

German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius stated at a briefing on Monday that the EU was already preparing its 18th package of sanctions against Russia, in coordination with its American partners.