Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Russia depends heavily on countries such as India, China and Turkey for its economic activity, especially through energy trade. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Zelenskyy argued that if these countries stopped buying Russian energy, it could put strong economic pressure on Moscow and potentially affect its ability to continue the war in Ukraine. His comments come as India remains one of Russia’s major oil customers, although India’s Russian crude imports fell by about 16.5% in August 2026 and were expected to decline further in September. India has said that its energy decisions are linked to its national interests and energy security, while New Delhi and Moscow are also working to expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation. In September, India and Russia discussed plans to increase bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030, along with cooperation in areas including energy, manufacturing and critical minerals. Zelenskyy’s latest remarks come amid renewed international efforts to increase economic pressure on Russia and find a way to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
