'Right idea': Zelenskyy backs Trump's tariffs for buying Russian oil
What's the story
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has supported the United States's decision to impose tariffs on countries trading with Russia. Speaking to ABC News, he said, "I think the idea to put tariffs on countries who continue to make deals with Russia is a right idea." This comes after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in China.
Meeting criticism
Trump criticizes Modi-Putin-Xi meeting at SCO
The meeting was criticized by US President Donald Trump, who said India and Russia have been "lost" to China. Trump had earlier imposed a 50% tariff on India, with a 25% penalty specifically for buying Russian oil. Zelensky also called on European countries to stop buying Russian energy. He said, "We have to stop [buying] any kind of energy from Russia, and by the way, anything, any deals with Russia....We can't have any deals if we want to stop them."
Energy boycott
Zelensky calls for European nations to stop buying Russian energy
Asked about the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska, Zelensky said "it's a pity that Ukraine was not there." "Trump gave Putin what he wanted... he wanted to meet the US President... Putin wanted to show everybody that he is there," Zelensky said, rejecting the invitation by the Russian president to come to Moscow for talks. "He can come to Kyiv... I can't go to Moscow when my country is under missiles," Zelensky said.
Tariff strategy
European leaders to visit US
Trump has said that European leaders will visit the United States on Monday or Tuesday to explore ways to stop the war in Ukraine. He also stated that he will speak with Putin "soon" and that his government is prepared to implement a second phase of sanctions on Moscow. The comments come as Russia launched its largest aerial bombardment on Ukraine so far, killing four and striking Ukraine's main government building in Kyiv for the first time.