Zelenskyy tells EU: Use frozen assets to end Russia's appetite for war

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged Ukraine’s allies to secure support for Kyiv and convince Russia that pressing on with the war would be futile. He made the comment during his evening address on Wednesday ahead of a key European Union summit focused on Moscow’s frozen assets.

"The outcome of these meetings – the outcome for Europe – must be such that Russia feels that its desire to continue fighting next year will be pointless, because Ukraine will have support," Zelenskyy said.

He called on partner countries to take a decision on using almost $250 billion in frozen Russian state assets held within the European Union - the majority of them at Belgium-based Euroclear — to underpin a loan for Ukraine.

"We need all our partners to have the courage to see the truth, acknowledge the truth and act accordingly," Zelenskyy said.

EU governments agreed last week to keep the assets frozen indefinitely, removing the need for a vote every six months. However, several European leaders have raised concerns about the legal risks associated with using the funds.

He also pushed back against claims, often voiced by U.S. allies, that Moscow was seeking a negotiated end to the conflict. Russia’s actions and messaging, he said, including formal military orders, pointed in the opposite direction.

"Allies in the United States often say that Russia seems to want to end the war. But Russia is sending completely different rhetoric and signals, including official orders to its army."

• Zelenskyy says Ukraine peace proposals could reach Russia in days

In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin said Russia would seize more Ukrainian territory by force if Kyiv and European leaders -  whom he derided - failed to engage with U.S.-backed proposals for a peace settlement.

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