European leaders are scheduled to visit the United States on Monday or Tuesday to discuss strategies for ending the war in Ukraine, as stated by Donald Trump.
The US president mentioned that he would also soon speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin, indicating that his administration is prepared to advance to a second phase of sanctions against Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky supported the idea of sanctions, urging European countries to halt their purchase of Russian energy.
This announcement follows Russia’s most extensive aerial bombardment on Ukraine to date, resulting in the deaths of four people and the first-ever hit on Ukraine’s main government building in Kyiv.
In the wake of the attack, during which Russia fired over 810 drones and 13 missiles at Ukraine, Trump expressed his discontent with the situation.
“Certain European leaders are scheduled to visit our country on Monday or Tuesday, individually,” Trump stated, without clarifying who he was referring to.
Russia has escalated its attacks on Ukraine since the summit with Trump and Putin last month.
Speaking to ABC News, Zelensky criticized the fact that European partners continued to purchase Russian oil and gas, labeling it “unfair”.
He argued for a complete stop on buying any form of energy or making any deals with Russia, emphasizing that such transactions undermine efforts to end the conflict.
Zelensky welcomed Trump’s plans to impose secondary tariffs on countries trading with Russia, aiming to hinder Moscow’s ability to finance the war.
Russia has earned approximately $985bn (£729bn) from oil and gas sales since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in March 2022, with China and India being the largest buyers.
The EU has significantly reduced, but not completely halted, purchases of Russian energy, with plans to end all purchases by 2027.
Last month, the US imposed a 50% tariff on goods from India as a penalty for continuing to buy Russian oil. India has stated its intention to pursue the “best deal” for the economic interests of its population.
At a meeting in Beijing last week, Russia announced it would increase gas supplies to China.
Zelensky’s comments come amid the OPEC+ group of oil-producing nations, including Russia, agreeing to boost production, a move that will apply downward pressure on oil prices.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized the need for more EU support in imposing secondary tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil, suggesting that such measures could lead to the collapse of the Russian economy and bring President Putin to the negotiating table.
Bessent highlighted the ongoing race between the resilience of the Ukrainian military and the sustainability of the Russian economy.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyrx205dj2o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
