White House Claims India is Cutting Russian Oil Imports at Trump’s Request; India Denies It

Key Points:

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that India has started to reduce oil imports from Russia at President Donald Trump’s request. She said at a press conference, “I saw some international news this morning that China is scaling back oil purchases from Russia. We know India has done the same at the President’s request.” She further added that the U.S. President is “frustrated” with Russian President Vladimir Putin due to the Russia-Ukraine war, where there has been no progress toward peace.

Earlier, Trump also claimed that he had spoken with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had agreed to stop buying oil from Russia. He said that India would eventually stop and that it’s a process. However, India has denied being influenced by any such “external influence.” India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that there had been no such conversation between U.S. President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He further clarified that India’s oil import decisions are driven by consumer interests and national energy policies.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin also asserted that the U.S. is using economic pressure to get what it wants, which would not be helpful in the long run. He said, “No self-respecting country would ever decide anything under pressure.” He clarified that Russia would continue to trade with partners who “respect fair cooperation.”

The U.S. has also urged several European countries to stop importing oil from Russia and has tightened sanctions on Russian oil companies. The entire scenario highlights the U.S. attempt to isolate Russia economically, while India has maintained that serving domestic needs remains its priority. The discussion underscores the complex nature of global diplomacy through energy trade and how different countries have their own stance on the issue. [Rh/SY]

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