The Ukrainian leader told the BBC that all European countries must end Russian energy imports.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused European countries that continue to buy Russian oil “to make money from the blood of others”.

In an interview with the BBC, President Zelensky cited Germany and Hungary as thwarting Russia’s efforts to embargo the sale of energy resources, which is expected to reach US$326 billion this year.

Ukraine’s political leaders are fed up with the Berlin government, which supports some sanctions against Russia but has so far resisted calls to support tougher action against Russian oil and gas sales.

“Some of our friends and partners understand that now is a different time, it is no longer a matter of business and money,” Zelensky told the BBC on Thursday, speaking directly to the BBC from his office in Kiev. “It’s a matter of survival.”

The president also reiterated his call for more arms supplies to Ukraine, saying the country was not getting supplies fast enough to repel the Russian offensive.

The USA, the UK and some European countries are trying to help and are helping,” he said. “But we still need this (weapons and supplies) sooner, sooner and faster. The key word is ‘now’.”

difficult dialogue

In recent weeks, Russian troops have withdrawn from the Ukrainian capital of Kiev and elsewhere in central and northern Ukraine, apparently giving up on any attempt to take all of Ukraine by force.

But now, as Russian President Vladimir Putin refocuses his military campaign to gain more territory, there are fears of bloody and protracted conflict in the east and south of the country.

The southern port city of Mariupol, a strategic target for Putin, has been devastated by Russian artillery for several weeks.

President Zelensky told the BBC he believes tens of thousands of people may have been killed in the city.

“In addition to these tens of thousands of dead, we also have information that there are many missing,” he said. “We know that people’s documents were changed, they were given Russian passports and taken to Russia – some to camps, some to other cities. Nobody knows what happened to these people. Nobody knows how many people were killed.”

Atrocities apparently committed by Russian troops in Mariupol and the suburbs of Bucha and Borodyanka in Kiev further reduced the possibility of peace talks with the Russians, Zelensky said.

Hundreds of dead have been found in Bucha, including civilians who had been shot in the head and had their hands tied behind their backs since the city was retaken by Ukrainian forces less than a week ago. There are also numerous reports of sexual violence.

“Bucha can close [as possibilidades de negociações de paz]”, said President Zelensky. “This is not about me, it is about Russia. They won’t get a chance to talk to us anymore.”

He said he “feels all the emotions” when he visited Bucha last week, but ended the day with “nothing but hatred towards the Russian army.” He accused President Putin and the rest of the Russian military of being “war criminals” “from top to bottom”.

Zelensky defended his leadership in the process leading up to the Russian invasion, which began in February, when his government urged the Ukrainian people to remain calm.

He said the government is trying to negotiate deals for arms and supplies and is focused on avoiding panic that could trigger a bank run, which he says could destabilize Ukraine’s economy.

This is what Russia – not only Russia – wanted, but we did not allow it,” he said. “However, we did not expect such a large-scale invasion,” he said.

As Russia seeks to divide more territory after the 2014 annexation of Crimea, Ukraine faces a new offensive in the east and south.

President Zelensky said that the east currently represents the “most difficult situation” for the Ukrainian armed forces, “but this is where our strongest units are concentrated.”

“They can destroy us, but we will fight back; they can kill us, but they will die too,” he said. “I don’t understand why, I can’t understand why they came (to Ukraine).”

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