Zelensky says US 30-day waiver on Russian oil sanctions ‘not the right decision’

Paris — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that the US 30-day waiver on Russian oil sanctions amid the Iran war was “not the right decision” and would not help stop Ukraine’s 4-year-old invasion.

“This easing from the United States could provide Russia with about $10 billion for the war,” Zelensky said. “It certainly doesn’t help peace.”

“I believe that in any case of removing sanctions, Russia will lead to strengthening its position. It will spend money from the sale of energy on weapons, and after all this will be used against us,” Zelenskyy said at a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron during a visit to Paris.

“So, ultimately removing restrictions only to have more drones fly over you, in my opinion, is not the right decision,” he said.

The US Treasury Department on Thursday announced a 30-day waiver on Russian oil sanctions. The move is aimed at freeing Russian cargoes stuck at sea and easing supply shortages caused by the Iran war.

Analysts say spiraling oil prices due to disruptions in Persian Gulf production could benefit the Russian economy. Moscow relies heavily on oil revenue to finance its offensive, and sanctions are a growing handicap.

US-brokered talks between Moscow and Kyiv seeking to end Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II have been put on hold because of the Iran war, though they could resume next week, according to Zelenskyy.

Macron noted that broad sanctions on Russia still stand despite the temporary US waiver.

Macron said the US waivers announced in recent days were “limited” and “taken on an exceptional basis”. “It will not broadly or permanently roll back the sanctions they decided to apply themselves,” he said.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz adopted a more critical stance. A meeting of heads of state and government of the Group of Seven industrialized democracies earlier this week discussed the issue of Russian oil and liquefied natural gas supplies with US President Donald Trump, he said on Friday.

“The six members of the G7 have expressed a clear opinion that this (waiving Russia sanctions) is not the right signal to send,” Merz said during a visit to Norway. “We learned this morning that the US government apparently decided otherwise. Again, we believe it was the wrong decision.”

Merz added: “Currently there is a price problem, but not a supply problem. And in that regard, I would like to know what additional motives led the US government to make this decision.”

Ukraine is one of the world’s leading producers of drone interceptors, and Kyiv is lending its expertise to the United States and its Gulf partners for the war in the Middle East, hoping in return to receive high-end weapons it cannot manufacture at home.

Zelensky said Ukraine has received requests from six countries for drone combat assistance. Expert teams have already been sent to three countries, he said without naming names.

Separate requests, which he did not elaborate on, also came from the United States and Jordan, he said.

Zelensky noted that providing interceptors is not enough to combat drone attacks. The Ukrainian military has expertise in deploying the systems, he said.

“There should be proper, systematic work with radars and with the entire air defense system,” Zelensky said. “Ukraine is ready to share this experience for the sake of the safety of the partners who are helping us.”

Zelensky said Thursday that Ukraine is awaiting White House approval for a deal to produce combat-tested drones.

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Novikov contributed from Kyiv, Ukraine. Associated Press writer Kostya Manenkov in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report.

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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine