Zelenskyy, Macron and Merz spoke as the United States sought to address energy disruptions tied to the Iran war while keeping pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
In Paris, Zelenskyy said the U.S. Treasury’s announced 30-day waiver on Russian oil sanctions would not help bring an end to Russia’s more than four-year invasion. He argued that easing sanctions could allow Russia to sustain the war, saying it could provide Moscow with about $10 billion and that the money would be used for weapons against Ukraine.
Zelenskyy also described concerns about what he called the downstream effect of the policy change. “Therefore, ultimately lifting sanctions only so that more drones will later be flying at you is, in my opinion, not the right decision,” he said during a news conference with Macron during a visit to Paris. Earlier in the same remarks, Zelenskyy said “This easing alone by the United States could provide Russia with about $10 billion for the war,” and added, “This certainly does not help peace.”
The U.S. Treasury Department said the 30-day waiver announced Thursday is intended to free Russian cargoes stranded at sea and ease supply shortages, with the step linked to disruptions caused by the Iran war. Analysts cited in the reporting said spiraling oil prices due to blockages in the Persian Gulf are benefiting the Russian economy, and that Moscow relies heavily on oil revenue to finance its invasion.
Zelenskyy also linked his comments to the status of negotiations. He said U.S.-mediated talks between Moscow and Kyiv aimed at stopping what he described as Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II are on hold because of the Iran war, though they could resume the following week.
Macron, who was in Paris with Zelenskyy, said broad sanctions on Russia still stand despite the temporary U.S. waiver. He said waivers announced in recent days are “limited” and taken “on an exceptional basis,” adding, “It does not broadly or permanently roll back the sanctions that they themselves decided to apply.”
Other European officials echoed skepticism toward the waiver. Merz, visiting Norway, said Friday that heads of state and government from the Group of Seven industrialized democracies discussed Russian oil and liquefied natural gas supplies with U.S. President Donald Trump earlier in the week, and he said six G7 members expressed “a very clear view” that waiving Russia sanctions was “not the right signal to send.”
Merz said, “We learned this morning that the U.S. government has apparently decided otherwise. Once again, we believe this is the wrong decision.” He added that, in his view, “There is currently a price problem, but not a supply problem,” and said, “I would like to know what additional motives led the U.S. government to make this decision.”
The same day, Zelenskyy used the Paris setting to highlight Ukraine’s push to share drone expertise with the United States and Gulf partners as it seeks help for the war in the Middle East. He said Ukraine has become a leading producer of drone interceptors and is offering its experience, including by providing information on how to deploy the systems as part of a wider air-defense approach that includes radars and the full air-defense network.
Zelenskyy said Washington had asked Kyiv for drone combat assistance, and that Ukraine is awaiting White House approval for an agreement on producing battle-tested drones. He also said Trump spurned Ukraine’s offer in comments aired Friday on the “Brian Kilmeade Show” on Fox News Radio, where Trump said, “No, we don’t need their help on drone defense.” Zelenskyy said the discrepancy between the leaders’ comments was not immediately clear. He added that Ukraine has received requests from six countries for help with drones and said it has sent expert teams to three of them without naming the countries.