“Squeeze so there’s no war next year”: Zelenskyy urges stronger sanctions on Russia

He made the appeal in his nightly video address on Saturday.

Zelenskyy said he had received briefings from Ukrainian intelligence agencies, including the Foreign Intelligence Service, focusing on the effectiveness of current sanctions targeting Russia and individuals tied to the Kremlin.

“Russia is already feeling serious economic losses—and those losses will only grow. I want to thank everyone around the world who’s helping make that happen,” Zelenskyy said.

He called on Ukraine’s allies to intensify pressure on Moscow.

“Now is exactly the right moment to squeeze Russia—squeeze them so hard that by next year, this war is over,” he said. “They need to realize they can’t just wait us out. The sanctions must truly strip away Russia’s ability to wage war. That’s what we’re working toward.”

• On July 27 drones targeted a power substation near a railway in the village of Oktyabrsky in Russia’s Volgograd region.