Ukrainian Foreign Minister Urges Cutting Off Putin’s ‘Oxygen’ to End the War
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister has stated that to force Vladimir Putin to end the war, Russia must be subjected to comprehensive pressure militarily, economically, politically, and technologically. Andriy Sybiha made these remarks following recent Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian energy facilities and infrastructure.
Sybiha wrote on his social media account on X that “the right strategy to force Putin to end the war is to deprive him of oxygen,” a phrase he explained includes pressure in four main areas. He emphasized that Kyiv is doing its part in this process.
According to the senior Ukrainian diplomat, these measures include long-term sanctions through long-range drone attacks, mid-range strikes, and creating logistical restrictions against Russian forces. He described these actions as part of an effort to weaken Moscow’s operational capabilities.
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister also called on his Western allies to increase pressure on Russia across all fields. He stressed that Russia’s war budget must be cut and its “war machine” halted so the Kremlin comes to realize that achieving its objectives on the battlefield is not possible.
The war between Russia and Ukraine, which began in 2022, has resulted in parts of Ukrainian territory falling under Russian control and has caused widespread security and economic consequences in Europe and beyond. Sybiha emphasized that a coordinated and immediate action from allies could leave Moscow with no option but to end the war.
