Ukrainian President Praises Trump Sanctions Russian Oil Company

US President Donald Trump with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy/PHOTO via X @ZelenskyyUa

JAKARTA - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised Russia's "very important" new energy sanctions on Thursday.

But Zelenskyy said greater pressure was still needed on Moscow to secure a ceasefire in the war.

The United States announced sanctions against major Russian oil companies on Wednesday, a day after plans for a summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin failed.

European Union countries officially adopted the 19th sanctions package on Thursday, including a ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas.

"This is very important," Zelenskyy said of the new sanctions in a statement to reporters in Brussels.

Zelenskyy believes a ceasefire is still possible in Ukraine, but greater pressure needs to be put on Russia for that to happen.

He ruled out the possibility of giving Moscow a territorial concession, which began its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Zelenskyy also thanked Trump for the new US sanctions in his post on X, praising this "firm and targeted decision" indicating "aggression will not be left alone".

"The new US sanction against the Russian oil giant is a clear signal that prolonging the war and spreading terror must be paid dearly. And this is a fair and very appropriate move," he wrote.

"The pressure on Russia will actually be effective in achieving peace, and sanctions are one of its main components," Zelenskyy said.