Zelensky backs Trump’s tariff move on India’s Russian oil
Zelensky, when asked if US sanctions backfired amid Modi-Putin bonhomie at SCO Summit, stressed unity crucial against Russia’s aggression.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky endorsed US tariffs on nations like India, despite New Delhi’s active diplomacy to end the Ukraine war.
Zelensky, Trump Sanctions, and India’s Balancing Act Amid Ukraine War
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has once again placed India at the center of the global conversation about the Ukraine war, even as New Delhi intensifies its diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful solution. His latest remarks came during an interview where he openly backed the idea of tariffs on countries continuing to do business with Russia—an indirect but unmistakable nod toward India, which remains one of Moscow’s key energy customers.
When asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, where the Indian leader was photographed alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zelensky did not mince words. He suggested that those still striking deals with Moscow should face economic consequences. For him, tariffs represent a “right idea” to apply pressure on governments that, intentionally or not, are keeping Russia’s war machine afloat through trade.
His statement landed at a particularly charged moment in Washington. The Trump administration, which has been vocal about ramping up its pressure on Moscow, is preparing to expand sanctions. Just last month, former President Donald Trump met Putin in Alaska in a much-watched summit that many had hoped might deliver a diplomatic breakthrough. Instead, the meeting ended without progress, and the conflict in Ukraine has only deepened.
On Sunday, Trump doubled down on sanctions, declaring that his administration was ready to escalate measures against Russia. He explicitly cited India as an example of a country that could soon find itself in the crosshairs of U.S. economic penalties.
“And that means holding accountable people who are helping Russia with their war against Ukraine. For example, what India has been doing by buying Russian oil—that is something we are ready to respond to economically.” He hinted that new sanctions were not only coming but being carefully timed for maximum effect.
On one hand, it has historically enjoyed close defense and energy ties with Moscow, ties that have become even more critical as global energy markets fluctuate. On the other hand, New Delhi has been visibly active in advocating for an end to the war, a role that has earned Modi both recognition and skepticism from different quarters.
In the past several weeks alone, India has stepped up high-level diplomacy. “I conveyed India’s consistent position on the need for an early and peaceful resolution of the conflict,” Modi shared on X (formerly Twitter).
The Indian Prime Minister has also been engaging with European leaders on the same issue. Just last week, he held conversations with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, European Council chief Antonio Costa, and French president Emmanuel Macron. All three discussions revolved around the urgent need to bring hostilities in Ukraine to an end and to explore avenues for long-term peace.
Meanwhile, India’s external affairs minister, S. Jaishankar, has maintained steady contact with Kyiv. He spoke with Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha, reaffirming India’s support for an “early end to this conflict and the establishment of an enduring peace.” These gestures are not minor; they signal that New Delhi is determined to be seen as a constructive player on the world stage, not merely as an opportunistic buyer of discounted Russian crude.
For Zelensky, though, the calculus is simpler: as long as Russian oil finds large buyers, Moscow’s ability to finance its military campaign remains intact. From his perspective, punishing that behavior with tariffs is not just fair but necessary. For Washington, too, sanctioning third countries that continue energy trade with Russia may serve as both a deterrent and a pressure tactic.
For India, however, the situation is far more delicate. At the same time, Modi’s government is keenly aware of the optics: photographs of him standing with Putin and Xi at the SCO Summit tell one story, while his calls with Zelensky and European leaders tell another.
New Delhi has long resisted being forced into binary choices, preferring instead to balance relationships with multiple global powers. That approach has served it well in maintaining both energy security and diplomatic flexibility, but it is increasingly being tested by the sharpening fault lines of the Ukraine conflict.
Will Washington follow through on its threats? Will tariffs on Indian goods actually materialize? And if they do, how will that affect not just bilateral relations but the fragile balance India is trying to maintain between East and West?
For now, the answers remain uncertain. What is clear, however, is that Zelensky’s voice carries weight in this conversation, and his support for tariffs has added moral momentum to the U.S. push for tougher measures. India, meanwhile, continues to walk its tightrope, determined to play peacemaker even as it remains under the scrutiny of allies and critics alike.