Zelenskyy says ending Russian energy trade with India, China and Turkey could stop Ukraine war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged India, China and Turkey to stop energy trade with Russia, saying Moscow was highly dependent on those markets to keep its economy and war effort afloat.

“Russia is basing its economy on India, sometimes Turkey and China. And it is obvious if these guys stop their energy trade with Russia, then it (Russia) will have to stop fighting the war,” Zelenskyy said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

His comments come as India faces mounting pressure over its continuing purchases of Russian crude. India’s imports of Russian oil fell 16.5% in August from a month earlier to around 2.1 million barrels a day but Russia remained its largest supplier, Reuters reported.

Zelenskyy’s comments also come after the passage of a US sanctions law that gives Washington more room to slap tariffs on countries that buy large amounts of Russian oil.

India has defended its continued imports, saying it needs to meet energy needs for its population. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said earlier this month that India’s energy needs must be taken into account.