Zelenskyy calls for stronger sanctions as Ukraine boosts drone warfare

Ukraine’s military command clearly understands Russia’s plans and priorities set by its political leadership and will respond accordingly, he said. Increased use of drones at the front, long-range pressure measures, and active operations by Ukrainian units will provide the necessary response to Russian forces, he added, noting that he had approved a list of upcoming operations.

Front-line reports were delivered by Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and Chief of the General Staff Andriy Hnatov, who outlined the most effective Ukrainian units currently engaged in combat, Zelenskyy said.

Immediate supply needs for the front have also been identified and must be addressed without delay, he added, thanking Ukrainian soldiers, sergeants, and officers for defending the country.

Russia has intensified offensive operations along the entire front line following seasonal weather changes, Syrskyi said earlier on April 15.

Russia has already launched its spring-summer offensive targeting fortified cities in Donetsk Oblast, which could last for an extended period, according to the Institute for the Study of War. The group noted that it took Russian forces nearly two years to capture Pokrovsk, a city with a prewar population of about 60,000.

Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna, urged the administration of President Donald Trump on April 19 to reinstate sanctions on Russian oil and petroleum products and prevent Moscow from benefiting from escalating tensions around Iran.

Limiting Russia’s war funding aligns with the interests of both Kyiv and Washington, she said.

The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control recently issued a license allowing transactions related to the sale, delivery, and unloading of Russian oil and petroleum products loaded onto vessels as of April 17, 2026. The license remains in effect through May 16, 2026.