Zelenskyy in Paris: Lifting sanctions could bring Russia billions

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised the United States’ decision to temporarily ease sanctions on Russian oil. According to him, such a move does not help end the war or bring peace to Ukraine. He warned that lifting the sanctions could bring Russia approximately ten billion dollars, which could be used to finance the war.

Zelenskyy commented on the issue during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.

He also said that the conflict in the Middle East following US and Israeli attacks on Iran is diverting the international community’s attention from the war in Ukraine. Rising oil prices, he added, are also indirectly boosting Russian revenues.

At the same time, Ukraine is facing an acute shortage of air defence missiles. Zelenskyy pointed out that Gulf countries used more PAC-3 missiles within a few days to defend against Iranian attacks than Kyiv has received from Washington over the past four years.

Macron said France and its allies would continue to support Ukraine and planned to further strengthen military assistance.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, responding to the US exemption, had earlier rejected any consideration of easing sanctions against Russia. In his view such a step would be wrong, and Berlin wants to know what factors led Washington to make the decision. He added that, according to available data, the problem lies not in a shortage of supplies but primarily in rising energy prices.

(Reuters, mja)