Ukraine's president urges a 'decisive,' 'immediate,' and 'harsh' response from the international community over Russian aggression

• Ukraine's president urged a "harsh" response from the international community over Russian aggression.
• Volodymyr Zelensky said he is "confident" the future of European security is "being decided now."

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the international community to deliver an "immediate" and "harsh" response to increasing aggression from Russia.

"The response of the international community to this crime should be decisive and immediate and harsh," Zelensky said during a press conference with the presidents of Lithuania and Poland on Wednesday.

He said Russia's military presence in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region has been "hiding behind separatist uniform," after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into the areas controlled by Moscow-backed separatist groups.

Zelensky also said he is "confident" that the future of European security is "being decided now" in Ukraine.

Earlier on Wednesday, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged countries to slap more sanctions on Russia and Putin.

"To stop Putin from further aggression, we call on partners to impose more sanctions on Russia now," Kuleba wrote on Twitter. "First decisive steps were taken yesterday, and we are grateful for them."

He added: "Now the pressure needs to step up to stop Putin. Hit his economy and cronies. Hit more. Hit hard. Hit now."

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden announced sanctions targeting Russia's sovereign debt, two large financial institutions, and Russian elites and their family members.

Biden's move came after the UK sanctioned a handful of Russian banks and the European Union countries agreed on its own sanctions package.