00:00Ukraine's President Vladimir Zelensky is in Paris for talks with Emmanuel Macron,
00:04the first president hosting him at the Élysée Palace.
00:06Now, the visit comes as talks to end the four-year invasion by Russia
00:10have been derailed by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
00:14Joining us from our International Affairs desk is Rochelle Ferguson-Bouyaei.
00:18Hello to you, Rochelle.
00:20These talks come amid a very complicated geopolitical picture.
00:24What is the focus of the talks going to be?
00:27Well, as you said, you spoke about things being derailed there,
00:30and that's particularly the case today.
00:32President Macron and President Zelensky then meeting in Paris.
00:36The initial idea or the topping the agenda, you might say, Will,
00:39was this idea to increase pressure or sanction pressure, I should say, on Russia,
00:44particularly regarding its shadow fleet.
00:46Of course, this number of tankers that are being used to evade sanctions on oil exports and other products,
00:52that was what they were initially going to speak about.
00:55What's changed this morning then is this announcement by the United States
00:59that ultimately they will give the green light to authorised countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil
01:06and petroleum loaded on vessels in sea.
01:08And that, of course, an effort, what the U.S. says, is to curb this economic impact on the U
01:14.S.,
01:15which the U.S.-Israeli war is having on Iran.
01:17It's fair to say that Donald Trump had alluded to this waiver earlier.
01:21What they say is that this is a 30-day measure, a 30-day waiver that will ultimately promote some
01:27stability
01:27on what are quite volatile energy markets currently.
01:31So Moscow then saying that that will affect 100 million barrels of Russian crude.
01:37Now, of course, on this rainy day in Paris, that's not what Zelensky will want to be hearing.
01:42Of course, this also is a way of complicating the West efforts to deprive Russia of enough revenue to continue
01:51its war in Ukraine.
01:52So EU leaders and Washington risking having, you know, some harsh talks about this because that wasn't ultimately the deal.
02:01But as I say, the U.S. says that this is about promoting stability on the energy markets.
02:07Another quick point, and I think we had it up on our screen, is Ukraine and its drone expertise.
02:13Now, this is an idea that Zelensky has kind of put on the table, if you will,
02:16this idea that in a way to help leaders in the Gulf who are suffering from attacks by Iran amid
02:23this ongoing war,
02:24that they will ultimately be able to provide some expertise that would benefit both politically and also financially, Keev, if
02:31that goes ahead.
02:33Keev, it's a way of saying to the U.S. that we support you.
02:36We support your efforts in this war on Iran.
02:39And also it's a way of gaining some favor with the White House.
02:41It's fair to say times have also been tense between Donald Trump and Zelensky in recent times.
02:47So this is the Ukraine's way of saying we are with you in this U.S.-Israel war on Iran.
02:55All right, Rochelle, thank you very much.
02:56Rochelle Ferguson, Booyahi, thank you.
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