---
title: "Zelensky after meeting with Trump: US 'hellish sanctions' will be applied against Russia if Moscow does not move toward de-escalation"
description: "After meeting with Trump in New York, Zelensky stated that US \"hellish sanctions\" could be applied against Russia if Moscow does not show a readiness for de-escalation, and that tariffs of up to 100% could be introduced for countries buying Russian oil."
date: 2026-09-22T19:44:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/us-hellish-sanctions-against-russia-after-trump-zelensky-meeting
tags: [us-sanctions, russia, ukraine, trump, zelensky, energy-sector, shadow-fleet, de-escalation]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Zelensky after meeting with Trump: US 'hellish sanctions' will be applied against Russia if Moscow does not move toward de-escalation

![Volodymyr Zelensky after meeting with Donald Trump against the backdrop of the Ukrainian flag and an international organization emblem](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/23/adskie-sankcii-ssha-protiv-rf-posle-vstrechi-trampa-i-zelenskogo/adskie-sankcii-ssha-protiv-rf-posle-vstrechi-trampa-i-zelenskogo-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Zelensky stated that US "hellish sanctions" could be applied against Russia if Moscow does not take de-escalatory steps.
- The mechanism provides for restrictions against Russia's energy sector, defense industry, and "shadow fleet."
- The law gives the US President the right to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from major buyers of Russian oil and gas, in particular China and India.
- Zelensky proposed an energy truce: Ukraine is ready not to strike Russian energy facilities if attacks on Ukrainian critical infrastructure cease.
- Trump stated that the war will end "sooner than people think" and that he could meet with Putin again; Zelensky hopes to end the war by winter.

Following his meeting with US President Donald Trump in New York, Vladimir Zelensky stated that so-called "hellish sanctions" have become one of the new tools of pressure on Russia. According to him, Ukraine expects this mechanism to be activated if the Russian side fails to demonstrate a readiness to de-escalate the conflict. "We hope that if Putin does not want to show any de-escalatory steps, then this instrument will be applied," the Ukrainian leader said at a briefing, linking the possibility of intensified sanctions pressure to the further actions of the Russian leadership.

### "Hellish sanctions" as a new pressure tool

According to reports, the "hellish sanctions" provide for new restrictions against Russia's energy sector, defense industry, and so-called "shadow fleet." Thus, the sanctions architecture mentioned by Kyiv is aimed at key industries that finance and supply Russia's military machine, as well as at the channels through which Moscow circumvents existing restrictions. For Ukraine, this package is seen as a lever that could change the Kremlin's behavior without directly expanding the conflict.

### Tariffs of up to 100% for third countries

In addition to direct restrictions against Russia, the law grants the US President the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from countries that are major buyers of Russian oil and gas or that help Moscow circumvent sanctions. This could potentially affect, in particular, China and India. According to a number of observers, it is precisely this element that makes the mechanism particularly sensitive for third countries, as it affects their trade flows and forces them to choose between continuing to purchase Russian energy and maintaining access to the US market.

### Energy truce and the parties' expectations

Separately, Vladimir Zelensky spoke about the possibility of an energy truce with Russia: Ukraine is ready not to strike Russian energy facilities if Moscow stops attacks on Ukrainian energy, water supply, and other critical infrastructure. In essence, this proposal offers an exchange along one specific line — energy — and could become one of the first practical steps toward reducing the intensity of the conflict if accepted by the Russian side.

### Timelines and further contacts

Before meeting with Vladimir Zelensky, Donald Trump stated that the war in Ukraine would end "sooner than people imagine" and called on the Kremlin to "stop the war." Zelensky, in turn, said he hopes to end the war by winter with the help of the United States. In addition, during the meeting, Trump noted that he could meet again with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The combination of these statements indicates that sanctions pressure and diplomatic channels are being considered in parallel by Washington and Kyiv as complementary tools.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Zelensky hopes for US "hellish sanctions" if Putin does not move toward de-escalation](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/zelenskiy-spodivaetsya-pekelni-sanktsiyi-1790106040.html) - Первичный источник заявления Зеленского после встречи с Трампом в Нью-Йорке; цитата о применении инструмента при отсутствии деэскалационных шагов.
- [US "hellish" sanctions against Russia: how Trump is blackmailing China, India, and the EU](https://news.ru/usa/adskie-sankcii-ssha-protiv-rf-kak-tramp-shantazhiruet-kitaj-indiyu-i-es) - Подтверждает механизм пошлин до 100% для третьих стран (Китай, Индия) и акцент на давлении на покупателей российской нефти.
- [Zelensky stated that he expects US "hellish sanctions" in case of Putin's refusal to de-escalate](https://ru.slovoidilo.ua/2026/09/22/novost/politika/zelenskij-zayavil-chto-rasschityvaet-adskie-sankcii-ssha-sluchae-otkaza-putina-deeskalacii) - Независимое подтверждение заявления Зеленского от 22.09.2026, совпадает по сути с РБК-Украина.
- [Trump and Zelensky met in New York. The key points](https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/8972711) - Подтверждает факт встречи в Нью-Йорке и контекст заявлений Трампа о завершении войны и возможной встрече с Путиным.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: What are the "hellish sanctions" and who are they aimed at?
**A:** This is a new package of restrictions which, according to Zelensky, provides for measures against Russia's energy sector, defense industry, and "shadow fleet," as well as granting the US President the right to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from major buyers of Russian oil and gas, in particular China and India.

### Q: Under what condition, according to Zelensky, will the sanctions be applied?
**A:** Zelensky stated that Ukraine hopes for the application of this instrument if Putin does not show de-escalatory steps and does not demonstrate a readiness to change his position.

### Q: What did Zelensky propose regarding energy?
**A:** Ukraine is ready not to strike Russian energy facilities if Moscow stops attacks on Ukrainian energy, water supply, and other critical infrastructure — so-called energy truce.

### Q: What did Trump say about the war's timeline and a meeting with Putin?
**A:** Trump stated that the war will end "sooner than people imagine," called on the Kremlin to "stop the war," and noted that he could meet with Vladimir Putin again.