Zelenski cites 'a matter of survival' and makes a direct appeal to Europe / Withdrawal from Pokrovsk, considered: 'No one forces them to die for some ruins'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has pleaded with his country's European Union allies to overcome differences over the use of frozen Russian assets, saying new funds are essential for Ukraine's war-torn economy to continue its fight against Moscow, Bloomberg writes Thursday.

“I hope, with God's help, that we will get this decision,” Zelensky told Bloomberg Television in an interview in Kiev. Otherwise, “we will have to find an alternative, it's a matter of survival. That's why we need it very much. And I rely on partners,” the Kiev leader said.

The EU has delayed until December a decision on using frozen Russian state assets so it can provide 140 billion euros ($162 billion) in loans to Ukraine, which needs new funds by early next year.

Meanwhile, the Russian military is slowly advancing on the battlefield and attacking Ukraine's energy infrastructure to undermine its economy as the harsh winter months approach.

Russia's invasion has entered its fourth year as Zelenski's government faces a faltering economy and depleted fighting forces in Europe's worst conflict since World War II. There has also been a shift in the West's unconditional support for Kiev since President Donald Trump's return to the White House.

With US funding halted, European governments have pledged to step up aid to fend off a new threat from the Kremlin.

Last month, the EU bloc failed to overcome the objections of Belgium, which holds most of the frozen Russian funds (in the accounts of the securities depository Euroclear) and wants greater guarantees that it will not be held liable for legal risks arising from the decision to use this Russian money. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Saturday that he would not support any plan to seize Kremlin assets “if these funds were spent on military costs in Ukraine”.

European Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis warned last week that the EU must give Ukraine a “credible” funding commitment to unlock new International Monetary Fund (IMF) support for Kyiv. The IMF has begun talks with Ukraine on an aid package that could total $8 billion.

“Russia must pay for this war,” and the money from the frozen assets will help Ukraine buy more air defense systems from the US and Europe and finance the production of drones to strike Russian targets, Zelenskiy said.

“We don't have extra money and this is the solution – and it's right,” the Ukrainian leader said in the interview on Wednesday evening.

He suggested Trump could send a “good signal” to European leaders to act by using billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets in the US.

Trump has “more than five billion dollars in assets, maybe he will decide to spend this money – it will help,” Zelenski said. Previous US actions, such as energy sanctions, have led “European partners to take some firm decisions as well,” he said.

The Kiev leader revealed that Ukraine has started producing interceptor drones together with the US. “American-Ukrainian production, co-production,” he said. “I hope we will have more in the future.”

“Psychological Intimidation”

The Ukrainian leader also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has waged a deliberate campaign of intimidation against Europe with recent drone and fighter jet incursions into NATO airspace. The campaign succeeded in making leaders more reluctant to send air defense systems to Ukraine, Zelensky said.

“I think he scared them, that was his goal, and he achieved it,” Zelenskiy said. “It was psychological intimidation, no doubt.”

A “very difficult situation” in Pokrovsk

He acknowledged that Ukraine was facing a “very difficult” situation in the city of Pokrovsk, in the country's eastern Donetsk region, where Russian forces are trying to take control after months of intense fighting. Zelenskiy insisted that any decision to withdraw troops was a matter for military commanders on the ground.

“No one is forcing them to die for some ruins,” he said. “I will support our soldiers, especially the commanders who are there, to control the situation. Otherwise, the costs for us are too high – the most important for us are our soldiers,” Zelenskiy insisted.

Russia is looking for a victory in Pokrovsk to try to convince Trump that in order to end the war, Ukraine must withdraw from the entire eastern Donbas province, made up of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, according to Zelensky.

“We cannot leave eastern Ukraine. Nobody will understand that, people will not understand that,” he said. “And the main thing is that no one will guarantee you that if they conquer this or that city, they will not advance further. There is no deterrent.”

Zelenskiy insisted that Russian forces “don't have that much power” and are targeting Ukraine's energy system as part of their efforts to force Ukraine to lay down its arms before spring.

“They know that once the energy-related factor disappears, they have no other strong factors,” the Ukrainian president said.

Diplomatic efforts to reach a truce stalled after Trump's summit with Putin in Alaska in August. The US president abandoned plans for a second summit with Putin, this time in Budapest, after the US concluded that Russia was not ready to give up its maximalist demands in peace talks.

Ukraine remained “open to talks with the Russians” to reach the truce Trump also wanted, Zelenskiy added.

“If they really want to end the war or are ready to end the war, then we have to go to the diplomatic path. And again, that's why I told President Trump that I'm open,” the Kiev leader said.

“They don't respect the law, but they really respect the United States — they respect President Trump,” Zelenskiy said of Russia. “I really think President Trump can push Putin to negotiate. And that's why it's very important,” he concluded.

“Sooner or later, Ukraine will have to negotiate,” the Kremlin claims

On Thursday, the Kremlin said through its spokesman that Ukraine will have to negotiate with Russia “sooner or later” and made a prediction: Kiev's negotiating position will get worse by the day.

Peskov told reporters on Thursday that Russia remains open to a political and diplomatic solution and wants peace. But in the absence of such an opportunity, he said Russia will continue to fight to protect its own security for the benefit of future generations.

“The Ukrainian side should know that sooner or later they will have to negotiate, but from a much more unfavorable position. The position of the Kiev regime will deteriorate day by day,” said the spokesman of Russian President Vladimir Putin, quoted by Reuters.