European leaders on Friday rebuked President Donald Trump’s decision to temporarily lift sanctions on the sale of Russian oil. 

Speaking at a press conference alongside French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his opposition to the U.S.’s decision and warned that revenue resulting from the eased sanctions would flow into the Kremlin’s war chest.

“I believe that lifting sanctions will, in any case, lead to a strengthening of Russia’s position. It spends the money from energy sales on weapons, and all of this is then used against us,” Zelensky said. “Therefore, ultimately lifting sanctions only so that more drones will later be flying at you is, in my opinion, not the right decision.” 

Zelensky highlighted more of his comments on X after the press conference, in which he noted that “even this single easing by the U.S. could give Russia roughly ten billion dollars for its war. And that definitely does not help peace.”

Macron voiced support for his Ukrainian counterpart on Friday, vowing to maintain European sanctions against Russia. “Nothing will deter us from supporting Ukraine, our support will not waver,” Macron said, adding that “Russia may believe that the war in Iran will give it a respite, but it is mistaken.” Macron also said that the U.S. relaxing Russian sanctions “doesn’t represent a lasting or sweeping reversal of the sanctions they decided themselves to impose, and the President—in the discussions I have had with him and in public statements—does not call this approach into question.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the Trump Administration was temporarily lifting oil sanctions against Russia Thursday evening, saying Trump was making the move “to increase the global reach of existing supply” of oil as the President seeks to stabilize energy prices that have surged as a result of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. The authorization from the Treasury Department permits Russia to sell oil that has already been put on previously sanctioned tankers to other countries for 30 days. 

The Treasury Department “ is providing a temporary authorization to permit countries to purchase Russian oil currently stranded at sea,” Bessent wrote on X. “This narrowly tailored, short-term measure applies only to oil already in transit and will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government,” he added, noting that the move would “result in a massive benefit to our nation and economy in the long-term.”

A White House spokesperson similarly emphasized to TIME that “Russia primarily collects revenue when the oil is initially drilled, and the sanctions relief is for oil that was already drilled and has been stranded on ships at sea. Russia does not stand to materially benefit from the sanctions relief, which is a temporary measure to make use of more supply to stabilize global energy markets.”

Russia has already emerged as a beneficiary of the war in the Middle East as one of a select number of oil-producing nations poised to reap a financial boost from rising prices, among other economic and geopolitical shifts.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also criticized Trump’s decision to temporarily roll back sanctions on Russia on Friday. 

“We believe it is wrong to ease the sanctions,” Merz said, speaking alongside Norwegian Prime Minster Jonas Gahr Støre. “Unfortunately, Russia continues to show no willingness to negotiate. We will therefore, and must, further increase the pressure on Moscow.” The German leader added that “we will not allow ourselves to be deterred or distracted from this by the war with Iran,” offering his continued support to Ukraine. 

Britain similarly urged continued pressure on Russia following the U.S.’s decision to ease sanctions. 

"It's obviously a ​decision for the U.S., but our position ​is clear. All partners should maintain pressure ⁠on Russia and its war chest," a spokesperson ​for U.K. Prime Minister Starmer told reporters on Friday, noting that sanctions against Russia have prevented the country at least $450 billion from going toward the country since it invaded Ukraine. "Our sanctions are working,” the spokesperson added. "We remain committed to ⁠exerting ​maximum economic pressure on Russia ​in pursuit of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”

European Council President António Costa joined other leaders on the continent in criticizing the U.S. move as well.

“The unilateral decision by the US to lift sanctions on Russian oil exports is very concerning, as it impacts European security. Increasing economic pressure on Russia is decisive for it to accept a serious negotiation for a just and lasting peace,” Costa wrote in a post on X. “Weakening sanctions increases Russian resources to wage the war of aggression against Ukraine.”

Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s envoy, posted a Russian flag on X on Friday with the caption, “Buy Russian oil and gas to maintain a balanced energy supply.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Putin, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters on Friday that U.S. and Russia’s “interests coincide” when it comes to Trump’s “attempt to stabilize energy markets.”