A Ukrainian lawmaker on Wednesday called on the United States to impose sanctions on China and India if they continue to buy Russian energy supplies, calling for full solidarity against the invasion of his country, AFP reported.

In Ukraine, some fear that a tough stance on oil purchases will push China even further into the arms of Russia, said Oleksandr Merezhko, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine’s foreign affairs committee.

“I try to explain to them that this is not the problem. China is not afraid of Ukraine, China is afraid of American sanctions,” he told members of the Association of Accredited Journalists of the State Department during a visit to Washington.

“This means that the US can and should deter China from helping Russia and, preferably, impose secondary sanctions to prevent China from financing the Russian economy and military machine by buying Russian oil and gas,” he says.

Oleksandr Merezhko, who explained that he lives in New Delhi, called for similar measures for India.

Both huge countries, highly dependent on foreign energy carriers, have historical ties to Russia.

The introduction of “secondary sanctions” would mean targeting countries or companies that continue to trade with Moscow.

The US has already taken such measures, for example by imposing sanctions on foreign companies that buy Iranian oil.

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