Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has voiced support for the United States’ decision to impose tariffs on India, calling it the “right idea” to target countries continuing to trade with Russia amid its ongoing war in Ukraine.
In an exclusive interview with ABC News Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz, Zelenskyy said such measures were necessary to pressure nations that indirectly help Moscow sustain its war effort. His comments come as the US under President Donald Trump ramps up reciprocal tariff measures aimed at India and other trading partners.
Zelenskyy rejects Putin’s Moscow proposal
During the same interview, Zelenskyy also dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s suggestion that he should come to Moscow for peace negotiations. Putin had said last week, “If Zelenskyy is ready, then let him come to Moscow. This meeting will take place.”
Responding directly, Zelenskyy said: “He can come to Kyiv. I can’t go to Moscow when my country’s under missiles, under attack, each day. I can’t go to the capital of this terrorist. Putin understands this.”
The Ukrainian president emphasized that Putin’s calls for talks were insincere, insisting that Russia has no intention of pursuing peace while continuing its offensive.
Interview at missile-struck factory
The interview took place as Zelenskyy and Raddatz toured an American-owned manufacturing plant in western Ukraine, which had recently been hit by a Russian missile strike. The site served as a stark backdrop to their conversation on the war’s toll and Ukraine’s resistance.
Zelenskyy reiterated that Putin does not genuinely seek dialogue, telling ABC News: “He continues to prosecute the war in Ukraine. He doesn’t seek a meeting with me. His aim is destruction, not peace.”
US role in peace efforts
The ABC report noted that President Trump has made a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin a priority in his stated effort to broker a peace deal. However, with Kyiv and Moscow still far apart on conditions, the prospect of direct talks remains uncertain.
