ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that Russia’s defeat depends on the swiftness in reducing Moscow’s attempts to circumvent sanctions.

"It is a common European task to reduce Russia's ability to circumvent sanctions, and the faster and better this task is carried out, the closer we will be to the defeat of the Russian aggression,” Zelenskyy said during a press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

He said Europe had slowed the down the pace of imposing sanctions on Russia.

“It is important to correct the situation,” Zelenskyy said, adding that talks were held on the 10th sanctions package against Russia.

Zelenskyy said strengthening cooperation with the EU would mean the strengthening of “pan-European possibilities to defend the lives of free people in free Europe.”

“Fulfilling the dream of a peaceful Europe can only be done through Ukraine and by winning against Russia,” he added.

Zelenskyy stressed Ukraine’s membership to the EU is important for his people, and that it is a “motivation.”

“Why this motivation? Ukraine on the battlefield defends the values that Europe is united and keeps uniting on,” Zelenskyy said, adding that every step to a bigger union between Ukraine and Europe inspires the Ukrainian people.

“Unfortunately, winning the war can’t be achieved only on the battlefield but it is also important to have the belief in Europe. We need the achievement of European integration,” he said.

He also noted that von der Leyen gave him the report on the second part of the questionnaire that Ukraine received when it received candidacy status for the EU last June.

“Further steps will be taken based on this report,” he said.

Earlier on Thursday, von der Leyen, together with a team of EU commissioners, arrived in the Ukrainian capital to take part in the 24th EU-Ukraine Summit in Kyiv, scheduled to take place on Friday.

Kyiv officials hope the summit will bolster their bid to become a full member of the 27-member bloc, to which it gained candidacy status last June.