‘Energy is Putin’s weapon’: Zelenskyy calls Trump tariffs on India for buying Russian oil ‘right idea’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy supported his US counterpart Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on countries engaged in trade with Russia as the ongoing war in Ukraine continues to escalate.

In an interview with ABC News, Zelenskyy said that “it is the right idea to put tariffs on countries that continue to make deals with Russia." The remarks from the Ukrainian leader came after the interviewer asked whether he had seen Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in China.

The journalist went on to ask Zelenskyy if the Ukrainian leader thinks Trump’s plan to impose nearly 50 per cent tariffs on India could backfire. In response to this, the Ukrainian president called for sanctions against Russia after it launched its largest aerial assault of the Ukraine war Saturday night. He eventually came out in Trump’s support.

It is pertinent to note that at the end of July this year, Trump imposed nearly 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods and complained about New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil. However, India went on to point out how China buys more oil from Russia than India.

Zelenskyy urges world leaders to stand against Russia

In a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, Zelenskyy said that the statements by state leaders and institutions after Russia’s attack on Ukraine must be backed by strong actions such as “sanctions against Russia and individuals connected with Russia", which he suggested through tariffs and trade restrictions with Russia.

“It is important that today we saw a broad response from our partners to this strike. Clearly, Russia is trying to inflict pain on Ukraine with even more brazen attacks. This is a clear sign that Putin is testing the world—whether they will accept or tolerate this," he wrote on X.

“That is why statements by state leaders and institutions must be backed by strong actions—sanctions against Russia and individuals connected with Russia, tough tariffs, and other restrictions on trade with Russia. Their losses must be felt. That is what is truly convincing."

Zelenskyy’s remarks on the matter came shortly after Trump said that he is prepared to impose new sanctions on Russia. Asked whether he was ready to move to the next phase of sanctions and directly punish President Vladimir Putin, Trump responded: “Yes, I am." The recent Russian attack on Ukraine involved over 800 drones and 13 missiles, four of them ballistic."