Zelenskyy and US senators discuss sanctions, Russia's shadow fleet and Geneva talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has met US Senators Richard Blumenthal and Sheldon Whitehouse in Kyiv to discuss tougher sanctions against Russia, preparations for the talks to be held in Geneva on 17 and 18 February, and measures targeting tankers in the shadow fleet which Moscow has been using to circumvent Western restrictions on its energy sector.
Source: Office of the President of Ukraine, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Zelenskyy told the senators that Ukraine hopes that the sanctions bill will be passed so that secondary tariffs can be imposed on countries that continue to purchase Russian oil and gas.
The Ukrainian president also stressed the need for the United States to work closely with the European Union not only to detain tankers belonging to Russia's shadow fleet, but also to confiscate the oil they transport.
Zelenskyy and the US senators also discussed preparations for the meeting between negotiating teams in Geneva on 17 and 18 February.
In addition, they addressed the issue of Russian strikes on American companies operating in Ukraine. The parties condemned these attacks and emphasised that Russia must be held accountable for crimes of aggression.
Prior to their meeting with Zelenskyy, the senators met some of the children Ukraine has managed to bring back from Russia.
Background:
- On 8 January, Senator Lindsey Graham said that US President Donald Trump had given the green light to the bipartisan Russia sanctions bill.
- In mid-November, Graham announced that Trump had given Congress his "blessing" to move on the long-stalled Russia sanctions bill.
- In September, the Financial Times reported that US senators had drafted new legislation intended to significantly expand US sanctions on Russia's shadow fleet of oil tankers.
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