Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Thursday, April 14. Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Thursday, April 14. Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Thursday, April 14. Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Thursday, April 14. Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP

More military aid will shorten war, says Ukraine’s Zelenskyy


Soraya Ebrahimi
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Ukraine’s allies have it in their hands to avoid a drawn-out war, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his latest nightly video address, renewing calls for more weapons for his country and to expand sanctions on Russia.

“When someone says it will take a year or years, I reply: it is in your hands to make the war significantly shorter,” Mr Zelenskyy said.

“The more and the faster we will get all the weapons we asked for, the stronger our positions will be and the sooner peace will come.”

He also called on other nations to enforce a ban on Russian oil, to inflict further pressure on the country to end its invasion of Ukraine.

He labelled existing sanctions on Russia as “painful” but stressed that they were not enough.

In his address, Mr Zelenskyy also said the situation was “still very difficult” in the south and east of Ukraine.

He said that “in the occupied districts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, the Russian military continues to terrorise civilians” and that they were “looking for anyone who has ever been associated with the Ukrainian army or government agencies".

  • Ukrainian Nicolai, 41, says goodbye to his daughter Elina, 4, and his wife Lolita, on a train bound for Poland fleeing from the war at the train station in Lviv, western Ukraine. AP Photo
    Ukrainian Nicolai, 41, says goodbye to his daughter Elina, 4, and his wife Lolita, on a train bound for Poland fleeing from the war at the train station in Lviv, western Ukraine. AP Photo
  • A damaged Russian artillery tank is seen, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Trostianets, Sumy region, Ukraine. Reuters
    A damaged Russian artillery tank is seen, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Trostianets, Sumy region, Ukraine. Reuters
  • Oksana Kolesnikova cries during the funeral of her son Anatoliy Kolesnikov, 30, a territorial defense soldier who was killed by Russian soldiers in Irpin, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine. AP Photo
    Oksana Kolesnikova cries during the funeral of her son Anatoliy Kolesnikov, 30, a territorial defense soldier who was killed by Russian soldiers in Irpin, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine. AP Photo
  • US actor and director Liev Schreiber prepares meals in the kitchen of the 'World Central Kitchen', for war refugees from Ukraine staying in Przemysl, Poland. EPA
    US actor and director Liev Schreiber prepares meals in the kitchen of the 'World Central Kitchen', for war refugees from Ukraine staying in Przemysl, Poland. EPA
  • A Ukrainian boy musician plays his sax to entertain citizens in a square, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Dinipro, Ukraine. Reuters
    A Ukrainian boy musician plays his sax to entertain citizens in a square, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Dinipro, Ukraine. Reuters
  • The turret of a destroyed tank near the village of Zalissya, north-east of Kyiv. AFP
    The turret of a destroyed tank near the village of Zalissya, north-east of Kyiv. AFP
  • An unexploded shell in a field in Teterivka, near Kyiv. Reuters
    An unexploded shell in a field in Teterivka, near Kyiv. Reuters
  • A building damaged during fighting in Mariupol, which is holding out against the Russian invasion. AP Photo
    A building damaged during fighting in Mariupol, which is holding out against the Russian invasion. AP Photo
  • A soldier from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic during fighting in Mariupol. AP Photo
    A soldier from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic during fighting in Mariupol. AP Photo
  • A tank destroyed in the village of Termakhivka, Kyiv region. Reuters
    A tank destroyed in the village of Termakhivka, Kyiv region. Reuters
  • The main station in Dnipro, central Ukraine, where a city official said the remains of more than 1,500 Russian soldiers were being kept in its morgues. AFP
    The main station in Dnipro, central Ukraine, where a city official said the remains of more than 1,500 Russian soldiers were being kept in its morgues. AFP
  • A torn Ukrainian flag hangs in front a damaged apartment building in Mariupol. Reuters
    A torn Ukrainian flag hangs in front a damaged apartment building in Mariupol. Reuters
  • A Ukrainian child seeking asylum in the US is driven on a bus to the border from Tijuana, Mexico. Reuters
    A Ukrainian child seeking asylum in the US is driven on a bus to the border from Tijuana, Mexico. Reuters
  • Brothers in arms of serviceman Taras Bobanych, who was killed during the fighting with Russia, carry his portrait and coffin at his funeral in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. AFP
    Brothers in arms of serviceman Taras Bobanych, who was killed during the fighting with Russia, carry his portrait and coffin at his funeral in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. AFP
  • From left to right; Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Latvian President Egils Levits and Estonian President Alar Karis pose for a picture before a meeting in Kyiv. Reuters
    From left to right; Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Latvian President Egils Levits and Estonian President Alar Karis pose for a picture before a meeting in Kyiv. Reuters
  • Local residents shelter in the basement of a residential building amid shelling in Lysychansk, in the Luhansk region. AFP
    Local residents shelter in the basement of a residential building amid shelling in Lysychansk, in the Luhansk region. AFP
  • Local residents view a destroyed car next to a multi-storey building in Lysychansk. AFP
    Local residents view a destroyed car next to a multi-storey building in Lysychansk. AFP
  • Ukrainian artillery shells Russian troops' position on the front line near Lysychansk. AFP
    Ukrainian artillery shells Russian troops' position on the front line near Lysychansk. AFP
  • Natalya Verbova, 49, and her son attend the funeral of her husband Andriy Verbovyi, 55, who was killed by Russian soldiers while defending Bucha on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP
    Natalya Verbova, 49, and her son attend the funeral of her husband Andriy Verbovyi, 55, who was killed by Russian soldiers while defending Bucha on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP
  • The father and a friend of Anatoliy Kolesnikov, 30, who was killed by Russian soldiers in his car trying to leave Irpin, mourn his death outside the morgue in Bucha. AP
    The father and a friend of Anatoliy Kolesnikov, 30, who was killed by Russian soldiers in his car trying to leave Irpin, mourn his death outside the morgue in Bucha. AP
  • Pedestrians walk past artwork by the LBWS street art collective on a street in Odesa. AFP
    Pedestrians walk past artwork by the LBWS street art collective on a street in Odesa. AFP
  • Engineers inspect damage to the bridge that connects Kyiv with Irpin. AP
    Engineers inspect damage to the bridge that connects Kyiv with Irpin. AP
  • The mark of a shell is seen on a street in Irpin. AP
    The mark of a shell is seen on a street in Irpin. AP
  • A boy shows the shell of a bullet in Bucha. AP
    A boy shows the shell of a bullet in Bucha. AP
  • Cemetery worker Artem, exhausted, looks at the sky while working on the grave of Andriy Verbovyi, who was killed by Russian soldiers while serving in Bucha territorial defense. AP
    Cemetery worker Artem, exhausted, looks at the sky while working on the grave of Andriy Verbovyi, who was killed by Russian soldiers while serving in Bucha territorial defense. AP
  • Nadiya Trubchaninova, 70, with her son Oleg Trubchaninov, 46, inside the room of her son Vadym, 48, who was killed by Russian soldiers on March 30 in Bucha. AP
    Nadiya Trubchaninova, 70, with her son Oleg Trubchaninov, 46, inside the room of her son Vadym, 48, who was killed by Russian soldiers on March 30 in Bucha. AP
  • A relative cries after the body of a civilian was exhumed from a shallow grave near his home in the village of Andriivka, in Kyiv region. AFP
    A relative cries after the body of a civilian was exhumed from a shallow grave near his home in the village of Andriivka, in Kyiv region. AFP

Mr Zelenskyy also spoke about his country’s EU membership hopes.

He said that a questionnaire, which he had received from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, was almost complete.

The bodies of more than 900 civilians were discovered in the region surrounding Kyiv following Russia’s withdrawal from there.

Most of them had been fatally shot, police said on Friday.

Updated: April 16, 2022, 4:56 PM