The West has underestimated the courage of Ukrainians, for whom the loss of freedom is worse than death, and now it underestimates russia's brutality.
The head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak wrote in a column for the Washington Post.
If the West won’t do it now, then we plead for the proper weapons so we can do it ourselves. If not, the loss of people, infrastructure, businesses and our historic landmarks and monuments will be on the West’s collective conscience", – Yermak said.
He added that the United States, Poland and many other free countries are on Ukraine's side. But some European nations seem to agree with a partly-occupied Ukraine — agree to anything to continue buying russian gas and oil and do business with moscow.
"But business as usual now means accepting russians bombing maternity hospitals and theaters full of civilians taking shelter. These atrocities are part of the russian siege on the city of Mariupol, which has left hundreds of thousands of residents without food, clean water, electricity and communications. More than 1,200 civilians have been murdered", – Yermak added.
He stressed that the Ukrainian people have shown they can lead the struggle for democracy against tyranny.
"We just need more support. To freedom-loving people around the world we say: This is your war, too. Help us win it. If not, the harshest dictatorship since World War II will triumph over Europe. The West cannot allow this to happen", he said.
The EU has introduced four sanctions packages for russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. At the same time, the issue of purchasing energy remains open. This week EU officials will discuss imposing an oil embargo on russia.
On March 21, Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to Germany not to sponsor russia's military machine. "Not a single euro for the invaders. Close all ports for them, do not supply goods, give up energy resources. Increase pressure on russia to leave Ukraine. I believe peace is possible, but you must act to come to peace. To call Kyiv the new Berlin again, to make the squares as safe as yours. To end children playing in shelters. And to make us all forget the air raid sirens, as you do not remember it".
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