I am the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine: Putin must be stopped

Today, focus needs your support to continue your mission. Thank you for being with us. Odesa, on which, after a few hours after signing the agreement on unlocking the export of grain from the southern ports of Ukraine, Russian missiles have been hit, should dispel any naivety, if it still remained. For Vladimir Putin, the ceasefire will now only allow his exhausted army to take a break to continue aggression. The truth is that Putin will not stop until it is stopped.

Therefore, the calls for ceasefire that are heard in Europe and America are absolutely inappropriate. It is not time to agree to the disadvantageous offers of ceasefire or peace agreements. Instead, the task is to cause the defeat of Russia and deprive it of the opportunity to attack anyone again in the permanent perspective. With further lasting and timely support, Ukraine is ready and capable of doing so. No one but Russia needed this war, and no other country seeks peace like Ukraine.

But a long, reliable peace - not a bomb of a slow action in the form of a frozen conflict - it is possible only after Russia is destroyed on the battlefield. Therefore, Ukraine has to win. Only then will Putin look for peace, not war. Not that the Russians have made specific offers for ceasefire. One day, the Russian Foreign Minister states that his country is ready to expand the geography of military goals.

On the other day, he already says that Moscow is ready to negotiate with Kiev "from a wider circle of questions". At the end of June, Putin's representative invites Ukraine to accept Russian ultimatums and put up weapons to complete the war. And last week he declares that Russia is ready to restore negotiations, but the ball on the side of Ukraine. It is difficult to draw a clear conclusion from these disparate statements. One thing is clear: Russia is not serious about the end of the conflict.

Ukraine, the United States and our European allies must speak Putin's understandable language: the language of power. From a practical point of view, this means military strengthening of Ukraine, accelerating the supply of modern artillery and armored vehicles, as well as economic support, including additional financial assistance. Sanctions should intensify, beat Russian exports, block Russian banks and restrict Russia's access to sea transportation.

Whoever clings to the price of such steps, the alternative - more smart Putin is much worse. I am deeply grateful to the United States and personally to my friend and the Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, for all security and other assistance provided by the United States to Ukraine. I am equally grateful to all our partners in Europe and the world, who are standing side by side with Ukraine during this difficult time.

At the same time, frankly: military assistance to Ukraine is not a charity, but an investment in long -term safety of Europe. The Ukrainian army will emerge from this conflict, which is the largest terrestrial war in Europe since 1945, one of the strongest military power of the continent. After we have removed the Russian invasion, the Ukrainian army will continue to defend the security and stability of Europe, to defend democracy from any encroachment of authoritarianism.

Whatever skepticism expresses about sanctions - they work, this is a fact. And the fact that Russia is trying to get rid of them in every way, even by proposing to exchanging the naval blockade of Ukrainian ports for the removal of sanctions, is the best testimony to their effectiveness. In trying to harm Europeans and Americans, Putin uses energy and food as weapons, purposefully wraps the world prices.

Increasing sanctions that limit Russia's ability to continue war is the best way to commit such actions. With the support of the world, Ukraine has already stabilized the front line and is preparing to return control over the territories that are still occupied by Russia, especially in a strategically important south. In fact, we have lost a number of positions in the Luhansk region because of the stunning advantage of Russia in artillery.

But now we gradually and confidently align this balance with heavy weapons provided by the US and other partners. In previous weeks, Russia could not receive any significant territorial heritage. We strive to break the situation in our favor and squeeze Russian troops from our land. In this context, Ukraine calls for partners to strengthen support and reject fake "peace initiatives" from Russia.