President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s push for direct talks with Vladimir Putin comes at a moment of growing pressure on Moscow, a former US ambassador to Ukraine has told TVP World.
William B. Taylor said the timing of the push reflects Ukraine’s strengthened hand as the EU moved to unlock a massive new support package.
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Veteran US diplomat Taylor said the planned €90 billion EU loan would send a clear signal that Ukraine’s backers are preparing for a long war rather than a rushed compromise. Speaking from Kyiv, he said Ukrainians see the package as vital both for the battlefield and for keeping the state running.
“They can now buy weapons,” Taylor said, arguing that the funds would show Putin that neither Ukraine nor its European allies can simply be waited out.
The EU’s move marks a breakthrough after months of delay tied to Hungary’s veto over the €90 billion loan. Budapest dropped its objections after oil transit through the controversial Druzhba pipeline was restored, clearing the way for EU ambassadors to back both the loan and the bloc’s 20th sanctions package against Russia.
Pressure on the Kremlin
For Taylor, the significance goes beyond the money itself.
He said each new sanctions round adds to earlier restrictions, especially those targeting Russia’s oil trade and the so-called shadow fleet used to evade Western measures. The latest package includes new pressure on maritime networks, energy-related trade and entities linked to Russia’s war machine.
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