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 talks in Geneva scheduled for 17 and 18 February and measures targeting tankers of the shadow fleet, which Moscow has used 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 expects the adoption of a sanctions bill that would enable the introduction of secondary tariffs on countries continuing to purchase Russian oil and gas.
The Ukrainian president also stressed the need for the United States to cooperate actively with the European Union not only to detain tankers of Russia's shadow fleet, but also to confiscate the oil they transport.
Zelenskyy and the US senators also discussed preparations for the meeting of negotiating teams in Geneva on 17 and 18 February.
In addition, they addressed 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 children whom Ukraine had managed to bring back from Russia.
Background:
- On 8 January, US Senator Lindsey Graham said that US President Donald Trump had given the green light to a bipartisan sanctions bill targeting Russia.
- In mid-November, Graham said that Trump had "blessed" Congress to pass the long-stalled sanctions bill on Russia.
- In September, the Financial Times reported that US senators had drafted new legislation intended to significantly expand US sanctions targeting the shadow fleet of Russian oil tankers.
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