Zelenskyy aide: Ukraine needs funds, expand Russia sanctions

By FRANK JORDANS
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — A top Ukrainian government economist says the country’s efforts to defend itself from Russia are placing a severe financial burden on the country that it can only bear with the help of outside support. Oleg Ustenko, chief economic advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said the speed of victory will depend however in large part on the pressure that Ukraine’s allies place on Russia. Ustenko told The Associated Press that it was “ridiculous” for European countries to keep paying for Russian fossil fuels while Moscow wages a war against Ukraine. He called for an EU oil embargo to be brought forward and a price cap imposed on Russian gas.