Breaking News : The Ukraine's president slams 'panic' over Russian tensions |Hot News

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy did not rule out a full-fledged war with Russia on Friday, but insisted that Ukraine was not a sinking Titanic, accusing Washington and the media of instilling fear in the country's economy despite "no tanks in the streets."

He responded after Russian President Vladimir Putin said the US and NATO had not met the Kremlin's primary security concerns in the Ukraine conflict, but that Moscow was willing to continue negotiating.

At a press conference for international journalists, Zelenskiy said: "The streets are devoid of tanks. However, if one is not present, the media may convey the sense that we are at war, with an army in the streets... That isn't the case at all. We don't require this level of anxiety."

"I don't think the situation is more tight now than it was before," he said, adding, "I'm not saying an escalation isn't possible."

He said the White House was making a "mistake" by exaggerating the potential of a large-scale war, and that he conveyed this warning to US President Joe Biden during their phone conversation on Thursday.

While he claimed that Russia was attempting to frighten and destabilise Ukraine, he also claimed that Kyiv was bolstering its hryvnia currency with foreign exchange reserves and seeking military, diplomatic, and economic assistance from the West.

He said the country required 4-5 billion dollars to stabilise its economy, including through foreign investments, and he welcomed the European Union's 1.2 billion euro aid plan.

By consenting to a prisoner swap, Zelenskiy believes Russia can demonstrate that it is not pursuing a confrontation with Ukraine. However, he stated that the biggest urgent threat to his country was internal disorder, ranging from cyber attacks to an economic downturn.

He called the attempts by the US and the UK to return diplomats a "mistake" and an exaggeration: "We're not the Titanic. Ukraine is making progress."

He claimed that NATO was the only guarantee of hard security Ukraine has in its standoff with Russia, but warned that the military alliance's eastern members may be subjected to Moscow's unfriendly actions.

"NATO is facing a significant challenge. Some European countries believe that taking Ukraine in would be risky. However, if a full-fledged conflict breaks out, it will erupt on the borders of certain NATO countries."

"If there is a massive war, it will not be only against Ukraine, but also on our country's soil," he stated.

He chastised Germany for promoting the Nord Stream 2 gas project, accusing it of putting Russia's financial interests ahead of Ukraine's security and territorial integrity.

He also mentioned Britain as one of the countries that allows Russians and billionaires to launder money from countries like Ukraine and Kazakhstan.