Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has voiced his support for the tariffs imposed by the United States on India for its continued purchase of Russian oil, calling it "the right idea". This endorsement comes amidst increasing pressure from the U.S. on countries that continue to do business with Russia, particularly in the energy sector, following Russia's continued attacks on Ukraine.

The U.S., under President Donald Trump, has been seeking to exert economic pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine. As part of this strategy, the U.S. has imposed tariffs on countries like India, accusing them of supporting Russia by purchasing Russian oil. Last month, the U.S. imposed a 50 percent tariff on India over its continued purchases of Russian crude. Trump has repeatedly threatened to increase pressure on Russia as he struggles to deliver on promises to end the war quickly.

Zelenskyy's support for these tariffs aligns with his broader call for increased economic pressure on Moscow. In an interview with ABC News, Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to all partners, but also criticized some European countries for continuing to buy Russian oil and gas, calling this "not fair". He emphasized the need to stop any kind of energy exports from Russia. Zelenskyy believes that putting tariffs on countries that continue to make deals with Russia is the right approach.

The U.S. has signaled readiness to coordinate with European partners on additional sanctions against countries still buying Russian oil. According to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, imposing "secondary tariffs" on nations importing Russian crude could cripple Russia's economy and compel President Vladimir Putin to negotiate. Bessent stated that if the U.S. and the EU impose more sanctions and secondary tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil, the Russian economy will be in full collapse.

India, however, has defended its purchases of Russian crude, asserting that they are vital for its energy security. New Delhi has denounced the U.S. tariffs as unfair. Despite the U.S. pressure, India remains one of the largest buyers of Russia's energy exports, even as Western nations have sharply cut back in response to the war.

The situation is further complicated by domestic concerns within the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that the United States could be compelled to return tens of billions of dollars in tariff revenue if the Supreme Court rules that President Donald Trump overstepped his authority in imposing sweeping import duties.

Despite the diplomatic efforts, there has been little progress towards a peace deal, with Moscow and Kyiv remaining far apart on key issues and Russia persisting in its bombardment of Ukrainian cities. Zelenskyy has expressed readiness for any kind of meeting with Putin, whether in bilateral or trilateral formats, but not in Russia. He has also criticized Trump's Alaska summit with Putin, saying that it gave the Russian leader "what he wanted".