Zelenskyy says Putin won’t stop war unless he loses money

ISTANBUL

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be stopped by diplomacy alone and must be targeted financially, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday.

“No one has been able to stop Putin. Only Trump remains, he might be able to,” Zelenskyy said in a forceful statement, emphasizing that the key to halting Russia’s war machine lies in economic pressure.

He called for stricter enforcement of sanctions targeting Russia’s banking system, its shadow oil fleet, and military components, especially as rising oil prices — partly driven by Middle East tensions — provide Moscow with critical revenue.

“Capping the price of Russian energy is critical,” he said. “Sanctions are powerful, when enforced … They’re about stopping the flow of deadly technology.”

Zelenskyy warned that any sign of softening Western support would embolden Moscow. “Right now, the tone of the US-Russia dialogue feels too warm… Any signals of reduced aid, or of treating Ukraine and Russia as equals, are deeply unfair,” he said.

The Ukrainian leader also rejected Moscow’s latest so-called peace proposal as a veiled ultimatum that disregards Ukraine’s sovereignty and constitution. “What Russia offered is not a peace plan. It’s an ultimatum.”

“Ukraine has shown it is ready to do everything for peace -- everything except surrender,” Zelenskyy added.