"Russia must be recognized as a state sponsor of terrorism, and the Russian Armed Forces must be recognized as a terrorist organization,” Zelensky said in a video message late on Wednesday.
He noted in his daily address that the European Union was preparing "a sixth package of sanctions," and called for the punitive measures to "be truly painful for the Russian military machine and the Russian state as a whole."
"I emphasize in all negotiations that sanctions are needed not as an end in themselves, but as a practical tool to motivate Russia to seek peace," Zelensky told the nation in his speech, as cited by the ukrinform.net website.
Zelensky last week asked the United States to label Russia a "state sponsor of terrorism" in a phone call with President Joe Biden, according to the Washington Post.
Biden did not commit to specific actions during that call, the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with their conversation.
It said the label can be applied to any country that has "repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism."
According to the Reuters news agency, the list currently includes four countries, North Korea, Cuba, Iran and Syria.
Biden has described Russia's actions in Ukraine as amounting to genocide.
Polish President Andrzej Duda said on a visit to Kyiv last week with his Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian counterparts that “those responsible for crimes against the Ukrainian people must be punished by international tribunals.”
Duda also appealed for “sanctions that will exclude Russia” from the international community.
In a major speech in Warsaw last month, Biden told the world that Vladimir Putin should no longer remain in power amid Russia's brutal war against Ukraine.
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Source: PAP, ukrinform.net