Zelenskyy criticized the U.S. for easing sanctions on Russian oil

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on international partners to prevent any easing of sanctions pressure following Washington’s decision to extend the authorization for transactions involving Russian oil. The head of state emphasized that such steps fuel the Kremlin’s illusions about the possibility of continuing its aggression indefinitely. 

He wrote about this on his social media accounts, reacting to the latest actions by the U.S. administration.

According to the president, in the past week alone, Russia has deployed over 2,360 attack drones, 1,320 guided bombs, and about 60 missiles against Ukraine. Zelenskyy stressed that every dollar Moscow receives from energy exports directly finances these attacks. Currently, there are over 110 tankers from the “shadow fleet” at sea, carrying about 12 million tons of oil with a total value of $10 billion.

The Ukrainian leader emphasized the need to block Russian tankers in ports rather than allowing them to freely trade resources. He noted that the current easing of sanctions contradicts the actual situation on the front lines and in the diplomatic arena. Official Kyiv insists on a complete halt to funding the aggressor’s war machine to ensure a swifter end to the conflict. Zelenskyy’s position was supported by Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.S., Olha Stefanishyna, who called for the immediate reinstatement of restrictions.