Zelenskyy urges Europe to ‘make aggressor pay’ during Netherlands talks

ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday urged European leaders to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s defense.

“The aggressor must pay,” he said, as he held talks in the Netherlands, focused on military assistance, accountability mechanisms and joint defense production.

Zelenskyy said he held “very good” and “substantive” talks with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, thanking the Netherlands for sustained support since the start of Russia’s invasion. “I would like to express special gratitude for the recent defense package -- €700 million for defense,” he said, adding that the Netherlands’ backing of the Priotrized Ukrain Requirements List (PURL) initiative -- a program coordinated by NATO and the US to supply Kyiv with US-made weapons and ammunition -- would allow Kyiv to purchase US-made weapons, including air defense missiles unavailable in Europe.

He said the two countries are also working toward joint defense production, “in particular the production of modern drones in Ukraine and the Netherlands,” stressing that “every step of support right now carries particular significance.”

On the sidelines of a diplomatic conference in The Hague, Zelenskyy said he joined a meeting with Schoof, Moldovan President Maia Sandu and Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset that was focused on establishing the International Claims Commission for Ukraine.

He said the body would consider claims for damage and losses caused by Russia’s actions, underlining that “justice is just as important as peace.”

In a separate statement, Zelenskyy urged European leaders to make a firm decision on frozen Russian assets, most of which are held in Europe.

“These Russian assets can and must be fully used to defend against Russia’s own aggression. The aggressor must pay,” he said, arguing that financial pressure is essential for accountability. He said the remarks were delivered during a speech in the Dutch parliament.

Earlier, Zelenskyy met Sandu in The Hague, thanking Moldova for its support and discussing cooperation, post-war reconstruction and shared security concerns.