‘Trump wants to finish war’: Zelenskyy calls US tariffs over India-Russia oil deal the ‘right idea’ | World News
As multiple global leaders weigh in on the ongoing discussions over the end of Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his latest statement, has endorsed US President Donald Trump’s push to impose tariffs on countries “continuing to make deals” with Russia, including India. He also said that he thinks “President [Trump] wants to finish this war.”
“I think the idea to put tariffs on countries who are continuing to make deals with Russia… I think this is the right idea,” Zelenskyy said in an interview with ABC News aired Sunday.
This comes amid continuing tensions between Washington and New Delhi over tariffs and India’s oil trade the Russia. The US has repeatedly expressed concern that revenues from Russian oil sales are helping finance the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine, while India has maintained that its purchases are driven economic and commercial considerations.
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On Sunday, Trump said he is prepared to move to a second stage of sanctions on Russia over its war in Ukraine. However, he did not give details on what that would involve, Reuters reported.
Breaking: Ukraine’s Zelensky backs Trump’s tariffs on India
“It is the right idea to put tariffs on countries that continue to make deals with Russia,” he says pic.twitter.com/p4L6wnJVOg
— Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) September 8, 2025
Finance Miner Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday that New Delhi will continue to buy oil from Moscow as India’s oil purchases are driven economic and commercial considerations.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Friday downplayed tensions with India, calling ties ‘special,’ a day after suggesting that Washington had ‘lost India and Russia’ to China. Prime Miner Narendra Modi on Saturday responded to his latest remark and said that he deeply appreciates and fully reciprocates the US President’s sentiments and “positive assessment” of the bilateral relationship.
🇺🇦🇷🇺 ZELENSKY: FOR US, SURVIVAL IS VICTORY
“He didn’t occupy us. We win. And I think so, because we still have our country.
He understands that very clearly. He wants, of course, to occupy us totally.
For him, that would be victory. But until he can do it, the victory is on… https://t.co/xSRYCg2iEH pic.twitter.com/HhOkoP119p
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 8, 2025
Zelenksyy on what victory means for Ukraine
When asked the interviewer what victory means for Ukraine, Zelenskyy framed survival itself as a triumph. “Victory… Putin’s goal is to occupy Ukraine. Till he doesn’t occupy us, we win. I think so. Because we have our country. And of course, he understands it very clearly. He wants, of course, to occupy us totally. For him this is victory. And until then, the victory is on our side,” Zelensky said.
He added, “For us, to survive is victory. Because we are surviving with our identity, with our country, with our independence.”
(With inputs from interview with ABC News)
