WASHINGTON: A top aide to US President Donald Trump has accused India of effectively bankrolling Russia’s war in Ukraine by continuing to import Russian oil, escalating Washington’s pressure on New Delhi to cut energy ties with Moscow.
“What President Trump said very clearly is that it is not acceptable for India to keep financing this war by purchasing oil from Russia,” said Stephen Miller, a key key Trump aide and the White House Deputy Chief of Staff..
Speaking on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, Miller issued some of the Trump administration’s harshest criticism yet of one of its Indo-Pacific allies.
“People will be shocked to learn that India is basically tied with China in purchasing Russian oil. That’s an astonishing fact,” Miller said.
The Indian Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment. However, Indian government sources told Reuters earlier that New Delhi would continue its oil trade with Moscow despite US warnings.
A 25 per cent tariff on Indian exports to the US took effect on Friday, a measure linked to India’s defence and energy ties with Russia. Trump has also threatened to raise tariffs to 100 per cent on imports from countries that continue buying Russian oil, unless Moscow agrees to a ceasefire in Ukraine.
More sanctions?
Trump also said on Sunday that his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, may travel to Russia later this week to push for peace negotiations. “There’ll be sanctions [if Russia doesn’t agree to a ceasefire by Friday], but they seem to be pretty good at avoiding sanctions,” Trump told reporters. “They’re wily characters.”
Russia-Ukraine War – Key developments
A Ukrainian drone strike overnight damaged a power line and caused a fire at a railway station building in Russia’s southern Volgograd region, according to regional authorities.
An unexploded drone was also found on railway tracks near the Archeda station, though no track damage was reported.
In Sochi, over 120 firefighters extinguished a large blaze at an oil depot targeted by Ukrainian drones. The attack also affected the nearby Ilsky refinery in Krasnodar.
Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 76 drones and seven missiles overnight. Ukrainian defenses destroyed 60 drones and one missile, but others hit targets across eight locations. Meanwhile, Russia claimed it intercepted 93 Ukrainian drones, including 60 over the Black Sea.
