Zelenskyy asks for 'stronger seventh package of sanctions' against Russia amid ongoing war

President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday stressed on need to adopt the sixth package of European Union sanctions against Russia that includes the oil embargo. He also asked for seventh package with even stronger restrictions. "It is necessary not only to finally agree on the sixth sanctions package against the Russian Federation, including the embargo on oil, oil mixtures and oil products, but also to prepare the seventh sanctions package with even stronger restrictions on Russia for terror against Ukraine," said Zelenskyy, addressig the parliament, according to Ukrinform. 

Zelenskyy asks Europe to bring justice to war criminals 

Ukraine's President also called to bring justice to Russian soldiers guilty of war crimes against Ukrainians. "We need the full potential of Europe to bring to justice those who organized and carried out the genocide against the people of Ukraine in a competent court," Zelenskyy said. 

European Union's sixth package of sanctions against Russia that involved phasing out the Russian oil by the end of 2023 was blocked earlier as the bloc stood divided due to Russian energy reliance. European Commissioner for Economic Affairs Paolo Gentiloni made an official announcement that the sixth package proposed by the EU as a response to the Russian special military operation in Ukraine was blocked as all leaders of the EU nations could not reach a unanimous decision.

In an interview with Rai News 24 TV channel, Gentiloni said that the sanctions package that aimed to “de-swift’ more Russian banks and proposed an oil embargo on Moscow could not be passed due to diagreement of the foreing ministers. 

EU foreign policy chief Borrell  had also earlier iterated that there is "no guarantee" that the 27-nation bloc will be able to quickly agree and unanimously on sixth sanctions package against Russia. A small group of countries led by Hungary oppose an oil embargo, he emphasized. “We will do our best in order to deblock the situation.I cannot ensure that it is going to happen because positions are quite strong," he had said, as he chaired a meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers. EU's sixth package of sanctions against Russia included total oil embargo on Moscow and restrictions on the activities of major Russian banks, Executive Vice President of the European Commission (EC) Valdis Dombrovskis had informed.