Zelenskyy Tells EU Leaders Sanctions Must Remain in Place Until Russia Starts Withdrawing

The European Union’s leaders discussed plans to mobilize hundreds of billions of euros to boost the military readiness of the bloc to fend off Russia.

European Union and Ukrainian flags outside the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels on Feb. 24, 2025. Yves Herman/Reuters

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told European leaders that sanctions must remain in place until Russia begins “withdrawing from our land.”

Zelenskyy addressed European leaders at a major European Union summit focusing on providing further support for Kyiv in its war with Russia.

The bloc’s 27 leaders met on March 20 to discuss support for Ukraine, defense spending, competitiveness, and migration.

“Please do not ease pressure on Russia over the war,” Zelenskyy said via a video link from Norway, where he is on an official visit.

He said that sanctions “must remain in place until Russia starts withdrawing from [Ukraine’s] land and fully compensates for the damage caused by [Russian] aggression.”

“I urge you to keep fighting against sanction evasion schemes and Russia’s attempts to finance its war effort. Ongoing diplomatic efforts do not mean Russia should face less pressure,” Zelenskyy said.

All leaders, except Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, agreed to a text that commits to uphold Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity and urges Russia to “show real political will to end the war.”

Without naming Hungary, Zelenskyy said: “It’s unfortunate to say this, but some pressure is also needed within Europe itself to ensure that anything promised—actually happens.

“And I’m talking about Ukraine’s EU accession talks and resolving some fundamental issues for European unity.

“It’s simply anti-European when one person blocks decisions that are important for the entire continent or that have already been agreed upon. Ukraine fulfilled the requirements, but right now, there are serious difficulties in opening Ukraine’s first and other, of course, other negotiation clusters for EU accession.”

Orban has previously threatened to block Ukraine’s membership and has said that if Ukraine joins the European Union, it would mean that “Europe will be destroyed, including the Hungarian economy.”

Membership negotiations cannot start until all EU governments agree, and enlargement—the process whereby states join the European Union—requires unanimity.

Zelenskyy told leaders that despite “Putin’s words about allegedly being ready to stop the attacks, nothing has changed.”

He added that Ukraine needed funds for artillery shells and “would really appreciate Europe’s support with at least 5 billion euros as soon as possible.”

The European Commission believes that Russia may attack an EU country next and that the bloc cannot solely rely on the United States for defense.

Under President Donald Trump, the United States has shifted its military focus toward deterring aggression by communist China in the Indo–Pacific. The Trump administration has also demanded that Europe take more responsibility for its own defense.

On March 18, European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said Russia is preparing itself for a confrontation with “European democracies.”

“[Russia] has massively expanded its military-industrial production capacity. ... This investment fuels its war of aggression in Ukraine while preparing it for future confrontation with European democracies,” she said, speaking at the Royal Danish Military Academy in Copenhagen.

The March 20 summit follows a March 18 phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump, which resulted in Putin agreeing to a limited cease-fire on energy infrastructure.

Zelenskyy then agreed to a moratorium on attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure following a March 19 phone call with Trump.

However, in a March 20 post on social media platform X, Zelenskyy wrote that “Russian strikes on Ukraine do not stop, despite their propaganda claims.”

“Every day and every night, nearly a hundred or more drones are launched, along with ongoing missile attacks. With each such launch, the Russians expose to the world their true attitude towards peace,” he said.

Readiness 2030

EU leaders also debated European Commission proposals announced on March 19 to mobilize hundreds of billions of euros to boost the military readiness of the bloc.

The EU blueprint claims that the measures are needed to deflect Russia’s war threats amid concerns over reliance on the United States for European security.

Its Readiness 2030 security strategy means that the region’s 27 national governments will get a four-year reprieve from EU deficit caps that will allow them to spend more on defense.

The EU expects this to generate more than 800 billion euros (about $868 billion) for defense spending.

It also has plans to provide 150 billion euros (about $163 billion) in loans to member states for defense investment.

The proposal has also redefined what is classified as government defense spending.

Prior defense spending rules allowed EU governments to apply it only to already-delivered hardware such as tanks, planes, and guns.

The change now broadens the category to include stronger roads and bridges to support the passage of tanks and the production of drones, helicopters, satellites, radars, and underground shelters.

Under the new strategy, member countries also will be urged to buy much of their military equipment in Europe, working mostly with European suppliers.

At least 65 percent of the total cost of the equipment bought with the loans will have to be for parts originating in the EU, European Economic Area, European Free Trade Association, or Ukraine.

The “Joint White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2030” states: “If Russia is allowed to achieve its goals in Ukraine, its territorial ambition will extend beyond. Russia will remain a fundamental threat to Europe’s security for the foreseeable future, including its more aggressive nuclear posture and the positioning of nuclear weapons in Belarus.”

The plan also envisages more support for Ukraine, such as providing the country with a minimum objective of 2 million rounds of “large calibre artillery ammunition” per year, as well as more air defense systems, missiles, and drones.

It also foresees continuing to train tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops annually.

Reuters, The Associated Press, Emel Akan, and Ryan Morgan contributed to this report.