Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday urged the United States to unleash sanctions on the entire energy sector of Russia. This came days after the Trump administration sanctioned two major Russian oil companies in bid to pressure the Kremlin over the Ukraine war.
Zelenskyy also sought long-range missiles to hit targets deep inside Russia.
Notably, the Ukrainian President was in London to hold meetings with over two dozen European leaders in garner their support in the ongoing war with Russia. The EU leaders have pledged military help to protect Ukraine from Russian aggression.
US sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil
The US Department of the Treasury last week sanctioned Russia’s Rosneft and Lukoil to undermine Russia’s ability to fund its war efforts by targeting a key pillar of its economy. Zelenskyy has welcomed the decision, adding that more pressure should be created on Russia’s energy sector.
“We have to apply pressure not only to Rosneft and Lukoil, but to all Russian oil companies. Besides, we are carrying out our own campaign of pressure with drones and missiles specifically targeting the Russian oil sector," he said during a press conference at the Foreign Office in London.
Zelenskyy seeks Tomahawk Missiles
The discussions also focused on protecting Ukraine’s power grid from Russia’s near-daily drone and missile attacks as winter approaches. They covered strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses and providing Kyiv with longer-range missiles capable of striking targets deep inside Russia. President Zelenskyy has called on the United States to supply Tomahawk missiles—an idea that US President Donald Trump has shown some interest in.
Trump postpones meeting with Putin
Meanwhile, Trump has postponed his meeting with Putin in Budapest to avoid ‘waste of time’. The Russian President has long been arguing that his efforts to invade Ukrainian territory were legitimate.
A high-stakes meeting is likely to take place between Putin's envoy for investment and economic cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev, and Steve Witkoff, a White House official over the ongoing unrest.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Putin's goals remain unchanged but he "is running out of money, troops and ideas.
