Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on the international community to take concrete action to change the regime in Russia and confiscate Russian assets, instead of just freezing them. He made the remarks via videoconference during a conference marking 50 years since the signing of the Helsinki Final Act - a historic agreement guaranteeing the inviolability of borders, which was trampled upon by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, BTA reports.
„I believe that Russia can be pushed to end this war. "It started it and may be forced to end it," Zelensky said, hours after another night attack on Ukrainian territory that killed six people and injured more than 50.
He stressed that if the goal is not to change the regime in Moscow, the danger of continued Russian destabilization of neighboring countries will remain even after the end of the war.
Zelensky also called for the confiscation of Russian financial assets:
“I am grateful to all those who are implementing sanctions against Russia and preparing new ones. "But we must completely block the Russian military machine, stop its arms industry, limit its revenues from energy resources, and use all frozen Russian assets, including those acquired through corruption, to protect the world from Russian aggression," he said.
“It is time to seize Russian assets, not just freeze them, but use them in the service of peace, not war,“, the Ukrainian president stressed.
The forum was opened by Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, the current chairman of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Among the participants were UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
Russia was also invited, but according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, the country did not send a high-ranking representative.
On August 1, 1975, 35 countries, including the USSR and the United States, signed the Helsinki Final Act, laying the foundations of the OSCE. The document enshrines the principles of sovereignty, non-interference and inviolability of borders. Rules that were called into question by the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, notes Agence France-Presse.
„I am sure that the day will come when Ukraine will live in peace and Russia will be forced to recognize its real borders. "That day will come because Europe remains united," Zelensky concluded.
Despite Kiev's insistence on excluding Russia from the OSCE, Moscow remains a member of the organization. In July 2024, the Kremlin announced that it was suspending its participation in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
Finland, which shares a border with Russia, closed its border crossings in December 2023 after an influx of about 1,000 visa-free migrants. Helsinki has accused Moscow of deliberately orchestrating the crisis for destabilization. In response, Finland is building a 200-kilometer fence, which is expected to be completed by 2026.