Ukraine urges tougher Western squeeze on Russian oil prices

By JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling for a lower price cap on Russian oil than the one agreed to by Ukraine’s Western supporters. The head of Zelenskyy’s office, wrote on social media Saturday that the $60-per-barrel ceiling set by the European Union, Australia, Britain, Canada, Japan, and the United States didn’t go far enough and needed to be cut in half “to destroy the enemy’s economy faster.” The cap is set to take effect Monday, along with an EU embargo on Russian oil shipped by sea. The Russian Embassy in Washington insisted that Russian oil “will continue to be in demand” but criticized the cap as harmful to free markets.