Zelensky Supports Tariffs on Countries Dealing with Russia, Calls Energy and Trade Links ‘Unacceptable’ Amid War

Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has strongly endorsed the idea of imposing tariffs on countries that continue to engage in trade or energy deals with Russia, calling it “the right idea” as the war in Ukraine continues to rage.

In an interview with ABC News, Zelenskyy stressed that nations must halt all purchases of Russian energy and cease any commercial transactions with Russia. “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,” he said, underscoring the need for a coordinated international response to pressure Moscow economically.

Zelenskyy’s comments came shortly after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in China, where he was seen alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Images of the leaders sharing a light moment and a 45-minute car ride discussion between Modi and Putin drew global attention, with US President Donald Trump remarking that some leaders had gone to the “dark side.”

The Ukrainian president highlighted that countries like India and China remain major buyers of Russian oil and gas, allowing Russia to earn an estimated USD 985 billion since the start of the war, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. While the European Union has drastically cut its dependence on Russian energy, it has not completely halted imports, with plans to end all Russian energy purchases by 2027. Zelensky criticised this continued reliance, calling it “not fair” in the context of the ongoing conflict.

Zelenskyy’s remarks coincide with signals from US President Donald Trump, who announced a “second phase” of sanctions targeting Russia, indicating the administration’s intention to penalize countries continuing energy and trade ties with Moscow. The push for stricter sanctions follows the failure of Trump’s recent peace initiatives, including the high-profile summit with Putin in Alaska, to secure a ceasefire.