President Volodymyr Zelensky urged for immediate US sanctions on Russia amid increased scale and frequency of attacks on Ukraine nationwide, and said Ukrainian citizens will not be left without food despite an ongoing blockade of the Black Sea.The recent diplomatic momentum, led by the US, appears to have produced very little tangible progress. Zelensky detailed the Yalta European Strategy meeting in a statement on Friday, Sept. 11, calling for a step-by-step approach to ending the war – starting with reopening the Black Sea and securing an energy truce.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.“The negotiation process must be about ending the war,” Zelensky said, adding that “if Russia doesn’t want to end it, then partners need to find an approach toward it.”He continued: “If that’s difficult to find, then today, at the very least, we need to move forward step by step. Unblock the Black Sea and find a way toward an energy truce.”Black Sea food corridor blocked from both sidesAs the Black Sea food corridor remains effectively sealed from both sides, according to Zelensky, grain prices could decline for Ukraine particularly due to unreliable and expensive exports. Therefore, resolving the blockade remains an international emergency rather than a bilateral dispute between the two countries in war.“Ukrainians will not be left without food,” Zelensky said. “But beyond Ukraine, other countries will be in a far worse situation.”Despite the issue being repeatedly raised, both countries continue to trade strikes over the Black Sea, significantly complicating logistics by frequently damaging civilian vessels carrying food.