UKRAINIAN President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked the West to ban all Russians from entering their respective countries.

In an interview published by the Washington Post today, he said that Russians should “live in their own world until they change their philosophy.

“The most important sanctions are to close the borders — because the Russians are taking away someone else’s land,” Mr Zelensky said.   

“The population picked this government and they’re not fighting it, not arguing with it, not shouting at it." 

Mr Zelensky reiterated his criticism of the current sanctions imposed on Russia, which he says are weak and ineffective. 

He has consistently called for more arms to help Ukraine in the conflict against Russia and the imposition of a no-fly zone. 

But he has rejected calls for peace, saying that dialogue can only take place after the defeat of Russia and the removal of all its soldiers from Ukrainian territory, including Crimea. 

Russians have been banned from entering sports competitions including football’s World Cup and the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

Some Western education institutions have banned the teaching of Russian literature while inside Ukraine, Russian books and music has been banned as part of a “derussification” programme.