By Alperen Aktas
ISTANBUL (AA) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that he discussed the Istanbul peace talks with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as well as Kyiv's broader European integration efforts.
Zelenskyy wrote on X that he informed EU leaders over the phone about the current state of Turkish-hosted peace talks and emphasized the need to put more pressure on Russia if it rejects a full and unconditional ceasefire.
He expressed gratitude for the preparation of the EU's 17th sanctions package, which he said should target sectors that support Russia's war effort, such as banking, oil, energy, and metallurgy.
He added that the discussions also focused on Ukraine's EU accession process, including the potential establishment of negotiation clusters and future steps in trade cooperation.
“Thank you for supporting Ukraine and helping bring us closer to a just peace,” he remarked.