Ukrainian President Zelensky accuses media and US of sowing panic

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Western media and the United States of creating panic over the situation with Russia. The country’s economy would suffer. “If journalists want to understand the situation, let them come to Kiev. Do we have tanks running through the streets?” He said that on Friday during a press conference for foreign media, where including local media about messages.

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According to Zelensky, the media and US President Joe Biden give the impression that a war is coming and that there are soldiers on the streets. “That is not the case. We cannot use this panic.” The situation is not more tense than usual, according to the Ukrainian president.

He added that “escalation is not impossible”. According to Zelensky, the White House is making a mistake by overemphasizing the risk of war. He also said that to Biden during their phone call on Thursday. He finds it unnecessary that the US and the United Kingdom have withdrawn diplomats from Ukraine, because according to him the country is “not a Titanic”.

He also admitted that Russia is trying to intimidate and destabilize Ukraine. To cope with that, he wants military, political and economic support from the West. He said he needed 4 to 5 billion dollars (3.5 to 4.5 billion euros) for this. He did not specify where that money should come from or where he wants to invest it. Yet Zelensky does not see Russia as the greatest danger, according to him it is destabilization from within, for example through cyber attacks or an economic crisis.