ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that his country will be victorious in its war with Russia if there are no "delays" or "stagnation" in cooperation between Kyiv and the EU.

“No one knows for sure how long the war will last and which battles will bring us success faster … but what is clear is that if there are no delays or stagnation in out cooperation, and if our joint efforts are resolutely focused on Ukrainian victory, the victory will be gained this year,” he said in a video address to the European Council.

Underlining that the cooperation between Ukraine and the EU has steadily grown since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, Zelenskyy said they have been acting together to stop Russia through cooperation in sectors such as defense and economy.

“All of this is evidence that Europe knows how to defend its values and has the courage to stand up to terror,” the Ukrainian president said.

He also said that despite the growth in cooperation between Ukraine and the EU, delays in the supply of long-range missiles and modern aircraft affected Ukrainian military actions, especially in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.

He also sought reasons behind the delay, namely in the case of modern aircraft.

Zelenskyy further said that Europe’s “procrastination” regarding new sanctions on Russia is becoming “more and more unpleasant,” noting that global efforts against Russia are not yet enough while the EU has not shown that sanctions on Moscow will increase.

“There cannot be even a slight hint of delaying decisions on sanctions. Moreover, there must be no slackening of sanctions – and especially under the manipulative cover of food security. Strong sanctions give the security, and the easing of sanctions is an invitation to new crises, including the food crisis,” he said.

Zelenskyy also spoke about the peace formula he presented during the G-20 summit in Indonesia and said it is “the only realistic and comprehensive plan to restore Ukraine's territorial integrity and guarantee security for our people and for the whole of Europe.”

He further said that Ukraine is ready to schedule a peace formula summit in Kyiv in the near future, but that such a summit can also be held in another location such as a European capital.

He said that Ukraine’s integration process into the EU is important for the country’s protection as well as for the European system.

He also voiced Kyiv’s readiness for a decision on the start of negotiations on Ukraine’s EU membership for this year.

“If the war can teach leaders affected by it anything, it is that honesty between allies guarantees victory,” he added.