Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has endorsed the idea of imposing tariffs on countries that continue to conduct business with Russia, calling it the “right idea” amid Moscow’s unrelenting strikes on Ukraine.
In an interview with ABC News correspondent Martha Raddatz, Zelenskyy said such measures remain a necessary economic tool. “I think the idea to put tariffs on the countries who continue to make deals with Russia… this is a right idea,” he stated.
The remark followed questions about whether sanctions and tariffs have been effective, particularly as Russia strengthens its ties with India and China, evident from the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit where Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Vladimir Putin, and President Xi Jinping held talks.
Zelenskyy also dismissed Putin’s invitation to meet in Moscow, stressing he cannot travel to the capital of a country launching daily missile strikes on Ukraine. Instead, he suggested that if the Russian leader truly wanted dialogue, he should come to Kyiv. “I can’t go to the capital of this terrorist,” Zelenskyy said.
He further accused Putin of using the invitation as a stalling tactic, saying, “He is playing games, and he is playing games with the United States.”
Putin, during his visit to China, reiterated that he has “never ruled out” a meeting but insisted it must be carefully prepared and aligned with Ukraine’s constitutional framework. He also said that former U.S. President Donald Trump had asked about the possibility of such a meeting.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy renewed his call for tougher sanctions following Russia’s largest aerial attack of the war on Saturday night. On X, he urged world leaders to back statements with concrete actions, including trade restrictions and tariffs against Russia and its associates.
