Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said the European Union acted “a little late” in imposing sanctions on Russia to stop the ongoing invasion.
Zelensky said sanctions should have been ‘preventative’ rather than reactionary.
The president, in a video, told the EU Council that applying sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany was also “a little late,” Independent reports.
It comes as Kyiv accused Russian troops of taking about 400,000 Ukrainians – including nearly 84,000 children – “hostage” in Russia.
Zelensky said, “What about the European Union? You applied sanctions. We are grateful. They are powerful steps. But it was a little late. If it had been preventative, Russia would not have gone to war. At least no one knows for sure. There was a chance.”
Ukraine has applied to join the EU, and Zelensky – in his video address – urged the bloc to “not be late” in coming to a decision over membership.
Meanwhile, US president Joe Biden said – after a NATO meeting in Brussels on Thursday – that the alliance would “respond in kind” if Russian Prime Minister, Vladmir Putin, uses chemical weapons in Ukraine.
