KYIV/NEW YORK: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he believes India is “mostly with us” in the war effort and expressed hope that US President Donald Trump can persuade New Delhi to scale back purchases of Russian oil.
In an interview with Fox News, Zelenskyy acknowledged India’s continued energy ties with Moscow but stressed that Kyiv should not lose New Delhi’s support. “Yes, we have these questions with energy, but I think that President Trump can manage it with Europeans, make more close and strong relations with India. We have to do everything not to withdraw Indians, and they will change their attitude to the Russian energy sector,” he said.
Trump’s shift on Ukraine war
Trump, who previously suggested Ukraine should consider territorial concessions, made a sharp reversal on Tuesday. He now says he believes Kyiv can “fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form with the support of the EU and NATO — and, who knows, maybe even go further than that!”
The change in stance followed his meeting with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
US pressure on India
The comments come amid ongoing US efforts to push India to reduce its dependence on Russian crude, which Washington says helps finance Moscow’s war machine. Despite these calls, India has defended its purchases as necessary to meet domestic energy security needs at affordable prices.
