Will Russia's Threat End When the War Ends? / Zelensky: Russia Shows No Willingness for a Ceasefire, Keeps Attacking Infrastructure

Overall developments show that alongside ongoing military clashes, disputes over sanctions, European security, restrictions on Russian citizens' travel, and Ukraine's path to European Union membership remain key points of political confrontation between the West and Moscow.

New Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities have dimmed hopes for an agreement to halt attacks on critical infrastructure. At the same time, the European Union announces a political agreement to ban the entry of Russians participating in the war, and German and NATO officials warn of continued security threats from Moscow in Europe.

According to Ambassador Arjan's report, quoted by Guardian, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that after Russia's new attacks on the country's energy facilities, it has become more clear than before that Moscow does not want to accept the American proposal to stop attacks on energy infrastructure. At the same time, the European Union emphasized the continued pressure on Russia and the member states of this union are considering new restrictions on the entry of Russian citizens participating in the war in Ukraine.

Zelensky announced on Monday that Russia had attacked six Ukrainian energy facilities. "When Russia sees the prospect of more revenue for its war machine, this is the result," he wrote in a message on the X social network.

These statements were made in a situation where the United States proposed a cease-fire in attacks on energy infrastructure, but according to the president of Ukraine, the new Russian attacks have increased doubts about Moscow's willingness to accept such an agreement.

Continued Russian attacks and increased civilian casualties

On Monday, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the attack on three cargo ships in the Black Sea, claiming that these ships were used to transport military cargo to Ukrainian ports. According to this ministry, two ships were bound for Odessa and one ship was on the way to Mykolaiv. Moscow also announced an attack on a logistics center in the Mykolaiv region.

In another development, Ukrainian authorities announced that three people were killed in a Russian attack on a house near the city of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine, including a 13-year-old girl.

Vadim Filashkin, the head of the military administration of the Donetsk region, said that the house in the Cherkaske region was targeted by cluster munitions. He accused Russia of deliberately trying to increase civilian casualties.

On the other hand, the local authorities of Russia's Belgorod region also announced that one person was killed as a result of a drone attack on a car in the village of Kupino, near the Ukrainian border. Ambassador Arjan stated that he could not independently verify this report.

Europe emphasized the continued pressure on Moscow

EU foreign policy chief Kaia Callas said on Monday that EU member states share a common understanding that now is not the time to ease pressure on Russia.

"Pressuring Moscow, not making concessions, is the fastest way to end the war," he said after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.

German Chancellor Friedrich Mertes also pointed to the decision of US President Donald Trump to temporarily reduce restrictions on Russian diesel, saying that such a decision is not acceptable for Germany and Europe.

Mertes emphasized that Russia will negotiate seriously only under pressure, and Germany will continue its sanctions against Moscow.

These positions take place while disagreements about how to exert economic pressure on Russia and use of energy restrictions are still one of the important issues in the relations between the United States and Europe with Moscow.

Examining the ban on the entry of Russians participating in the war into the European Union

Kalas also announced that EU countries have politically agreed to ban the entry of Russians who participated in the war in Ukraine, but the implementation of this decision requires agreement on technical details.

He said: "Political agreement has been reached; "We just need to specify the technical details."

The EU has been considering the proposal for months, but there have been questions about how to identify those subject to the ban and how it will be enforced. This issue has become more important in the context of increasing concern among Western officials about what they describe as Russia's "combined" campaign of sabotage and interference in European countries.

At the same time, limiting the movement of Russian diplomats and making stricter the criteria for issuing tourist visas for Russian citizens are also on the agenda of European discussions.

Germany and NATO warning about Russian threats

Sina Selen, the head of Germany's domestic intelligence agency, warned that Russia will be a long-term threat to Europe regardless of the outcome of the Ukraine war.

At a conference in Berlin, he said organized attacks by Russia will continue and that the combined threats have long gone beyond the war situation in Ukraine.

According to him, Russia's goal is to fundamentally change the map of Europe and the place of this continent in geopolitical equations.

Alexos Greenkevich, NATO's top military commander, also called for the red lines of the alliance to be clearly defined and announced against sabotage attacks in Europe. In Warsaw, he said member states should consult on their possible response and send a clear message to Russia about NATO's red lines.

Ukraine's new law to remove obstacles to EU membership

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian parliament passed a law to protect the rights of national minorities, which Volodymyr Zelensky also signed. This action is expected to reduce one of the important obstacles facing Ukraine's EU membership negotiations.

Hungary had previously blocked the start of negotiations in some policy areas related to Ukraine's membership process and accused Kyiv of failing to protect the rights of the Hungarian minority.

Ukrainian authorities have announced that the new law will guarantee the rights of national minorities without undermining the status of the Ukrainian language as the state language.

All of these developments show that, along with the continuation of military conflicts, the dispute over sanctions, European security, restrictions on the movement of Russian citizens and the path of Ukraine's membership in the European Union is still one of the main axes of the West's political confrontation with Moscow.