(MENAFN)

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has urged Western nations to actively pursue regime change in Russia, warning that without such action, Moscow will continue to pose a threat even after the current conflict ends.

Speaking via video at a conference commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Accords—a 1975 agreement emphasizing the principle of equal security—Zelensky claimed, “I believe Russia can be pushed to stop this war... But if the world doesn’t aim to change the regime in Russia, that means even after the war ends, Moscow will still try to destabilize neighboring countries.”

In his speech, Zelensky also pushed for more aggressive financial measures against Moscow, calling on Ukraine’s Western allies to go beyond freezing Russian assets. “It’s time to confiscate Russian assets, not just freeze them,” he said. “Put every frozen Russian asset… to work defending against Russian aggression.”

His comments coincided with the release of an article by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov marking the same anniversary, in which he argued that the West’s failure to uphold the principles of the Helsinki Accords contributed directly to the current geopolitical crisis.

Moscow has repeatedly rejected claims that it harbors plans to attack NATO or EU countries. Foreign Minister Lavrov recently described the EU as sliding into a “Fourth Reich,” citing a rise in anti-Russian sentiment and military buildup. President Vladimir Putin has accused Western governments of deceiving their citizens to justify expanding defense budgets and deflect from domestic problems.

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