Ukraine is preparing for important international events next week that could provide it with more defense support this winter and more military potential, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said in a video message sent late Thursday, News.ro reported.

“We are preparing important international events for the next week. Something that could provide Ukraine with more defense support this winter, more military potential,” the president announced, without giving further details.

“The occupiers throw all their people and everything they have into the offensive. They cannot defeat our army, so they physically destroy every town and village so that there is no building left, not even walls, that can be used for any kind of defense. The only way to stop this is to step by step drive the Russian terrorists away from our Ukrainian territory in order to continue the pressure on Russia,” Zelenskyy said.

He noted that on Thursday, during another Russian shelling of Kherson, a projectile hit the Red Cross aid station, and a female paramedic died. “Only since the beginning of this day, Russia has bombed Kherson more than 16 times! Only in one day! And so every day,” Zelensky emphasized, adding that in Kharkiv Oblast, populated areas were bombed again, and in Donbas, “as in all previous weeks,” Russia’s brutal shelling continues.

Zelenskyi also said that he spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “It was a good conversation – we are preparing to strengthen our defense cooperation. I am grateful to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and all Canadians for their principled leadership regarding the sanctions policy,” Zelenskyy emphasized.

“Let’s find new ways to bring to justice every Russian terrorist, every Russian oligarch who helps a terrorist state, all Russian officials and propagandists for everything they do against Ukraine, against freedom,” urged the Ukrainian president.

“Each step of sanctions against Russia for the war against the free world really helps us bring peace closer,” Zelensky said, when EU leaders gathered in Brussels to discuss the controversial sanctions issue.

On the other hand, Zelensky informed his compatriots that the European Union has finally approved macro-financial assistance for next year in the amount of 18 billion euros, and called it a “good result.” The decision was vetoed by Hungary, which sought to unblock its own European funds.