Zelenskyy: If there’s military activity in Black Sea again, then new measures must be taken against Moscow
If Russia strikes Ukraine, it will receive a response, and if there are air raid sirens and military activity in the Black Sea again, then new measures must be taken against Moscow, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.
"We in Ukraine will do everything to ensure that the agreements work and that there are no strikes. But the Russians must know and must realize that if they strike, they will receive a strong response. And they will be held responsible. And if the Russians then tell tales that the strikes were not on energy or civilian infrastructure, everyone will see everything," Zelenskyy said in an evening address on Tuesday.
He recalled that since March 11, the USA has had a proposal on the table for a complete and unconditional ceasefire everywhere, not just in energy and the Black Sea, but it was Russia that did not agree to this and is prolonging this war.
"When Putin did not say ‘yes’ to an unconditional ceasefire, there were no new sanctions against Russia. Now Moscow is demanding something about lifting some of the sanctions, although for three years it has been saying that sanctions are not scary for them and are even useful. But if this agreement does not work, if the Russians do not fulfill the conditions of today's agreements and try to put pressure on America, Europe, Ukraine again, then I believe there must be only one answer: definitely new sanctions, definitely more pressure," the president added.
"The way Russia will behave in the coming days will show a lot, if not everything. If there are air raid sirens again, if there is military activity in the Black Sea again, if there are Russian manipulations and threats again, then new measures will have to be taken - specifically against Moscow. Diplomacy must work," the president noted.