KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday urged allies to keep up sanctions pressure on Russia ahead of a second day of talks between Ukrainian and U.S. delegations on ways to end the four-year-old war, triggered by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian representatives were not present at the latest talks, which opened in Florida on Saturday. They were originally expected to attend the negotiations, which were due to take place in Abu Dhabi.
The U.S. team is led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
Zelenskiy, who said on Saturday talks should continue if there was to be an agreement, on Sunday called for tougher action against Russia’s so-called shadow fleet and for Moscow to be denied oil revenues.
“Revenues give Russia a sense of impunity and the ability to continue the war. That is why pressure must continue and sanctions must work,” Zelenskiy said on X.
“Russia’s shadow fleet must not feel safe in European waters or anywhere else. Tankers that serve the war budget can and must be stopped and blocked, not just let go,” he added.
The French Navy seized an oil tanker in the Western Mediterranean last week that President Emmanuel Macron said was part of Russia’s shadow fleet, a network of vessels used to export oil despite Western sanctions.
The shadow fleet, which has grown following Western sanctions on Russia aimed at curbing Moscow’s oil revenues, has helped to keep Russian oil exports flowing.
