Ukraine leader says Russia sanctions must remain in place

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday warned the West against lifting sanctions on Russia as France pushes for rapprochement with Moscow.

But speaking on the sidelines of an annual forum in the capital Kiev, the 41-year-old leader told AFP that he had a "feeling" that Russian President Vladimir Putin was ready to improve ties with Ukraine.

Addressing the Yalta European Strategy (YES) forum, Zelensky said that some of Ukraine's Western partners have considered lifting sanctions against Russia.

"Sometimes they think about lifting sanctions. You are losing money. Seriously? "I am sorry but we are losing people," Zelensky said, referring to Russia's annexation of Crimea and the Moscow-backed separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

"Essentially, sanctions are a tax needed to maintain world order. A peace tax, if you will. And you know in the civilised world it's normal to pay taxes," he said.

"Sanctions should remain" until peace was restored in eastern Ukraine, Zelensky ...