Zelensky targets Modi-Putin SCO bonhomie, says Trump Russia tariffs on India 'right idea'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has backed US President Donald Trump’s tariff policy against India, saying “it is a right idea.” In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, the Ukrainian President said that allies should increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin even as Moscow continues to intensify its assault on Kyiv.

When asked about the meeting between PM Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Putin during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit earlier this month, Zelensky said that “it is the right idea to put tariffs on countries that continue to make deals with Russia.”

The remarks come even as New Delhi has called for peace in the region and batted for a ceasefire in the past. The remarks also coincide with Trump’s statement that he is likely to impose secondary sanctions on Russia. Trump had announced a steep 50 percent tariff on all Indian imports, citing New Delhi’s consistent policy of buying Russian oil. India, on the other hand, has flagged the doublespeak and said that it will continue to work for its national interest.

This is not the first time that the SCO meeting between three superpowers has come under spotlight. Over the weekend, Trump expressed his displeasure with the growing camaraderie between India, China and Russia. Posting a photo of all the leaders from these three countries, Trump had written “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!” However, later, talking to reporters in Washington, Trump had claimed that  he will “always be friends with PM Modi.”