"The Commander-in-Chief [of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Alexander] Syrsky reported regarding the front and the areas of the Kursk operation. In the Kursk region, there are already more than 3,000 injured and killed North Korean soldiers. Russia is simply using them up in assaults. Why should Koreans fight for [the illegitimate president of the Russian Federation Vladimir] Putin – no sane person on Earth could answer that," Zelensky stated.
According to the President of Ukraine, "the world is doing almost nothing to counter the criminal collaboration between Russia and North Korea."
"This is a threat to every state – near the Korean Peninsula, for China, for others, as well as to states in our region and anywhere else in the world. The fact that Moscow is transferring military technologies to North Korea and assisting the regime in Pyongyang in torturing people and keeping part of the Korean people enslaved by one family is alarming. When such things happen, you realize that the words of those who call for Russia not to expand the war and not to worsen the situation hold little value," he asserted.
Zelensky believes that "Moscow does not understand words but must feel strength."
"Peace is possible through strength. And we will do everything to achieve peace," the president emphasized.
Zelensky mentioned that he discussed pressure on Russia that day with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
"We talked about the pressure on Russia over the war, and we particularly value the sanctions against Russian tankers, the shadow fleet that provides Putin with money for war. All such tankers should be under sanctions, and we must protect not only European ports from them," the President of Ukraine stated.
He reminded about the accidents on December 15 involving two Russian tankers carrying fuel oil in the Kerch Strait, which resulted in fuel oil reaching the shores of the aggressor country.
"Now everyone sees the consequences of the disaster in the Black Sea – fuel oil that is polluting the coastline. Russia is using extremely old vessels – some are 50 years old – using anything it can to make money. This is a full-scale threat – both in terms of financing the war and in terms of environmental harm. No sea in the world – neither the Black Sea nor the Azov Sea, the Baltic Sea, nor the North Sea – deserves this kind of damage from Russian presence," Zelensky said.
The president emphasized that despite the fuel oil on the Russian shore, "Putin is doing nothing; he is only interested in his old 'arrested' and other madness right now."
"We must do everything possible to force Russia into a real peace and hold it accountable for all its actions as quickly as possible. I thank everyone who is helping us in this," Zelensky declared.