Top Trump aide accuses India of financing Russia’s war in Ukraine – Alfaaz – The Words

New Delhi: A top aide to US President Donald Trump criticised India for buying Russian oil, accusing the country of indirectly funding Russia’s war in Ukraine. This comes as the Trump administration intensifies pressure on nations that continue purchasing oil from Moscow.

Stephen Miller, one of Trump’s most influential advisors, said that Trump clearly believes India should stop buying Russian oil. “What he (Trump) said very clearly is that it is not acceptable for India to continue financing this war by purchasing oil from Russia,” Miller said on Sunday Morning Futures.

Trump’s deputy chief of staff seemed surprised at the scale of India’s oil trade with Russia. On Fox News, he said, “People will be shocked to learn that India is basically tied with China in purchasing Russian oil. That’s an astonishing fact.”

However, Miller tempered his criticism by noting Trump’s relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which he described as “tremendous”.

Despite the US pressure, India has shown no sign of stopping its purchases. According to the news agency Reuters, Indian government sources said they would continue to import oil from Russia.

Last week, the Ministry of External Affairs said its relationship with Russia was “steady and time-tested”, and should not be seen through the prism of a third country.

On July 30, Donald Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods and warned of potential penalties over India’s purchase of Russian arms and oil. Immediately after the tariff announcement, Trump launched a blistering attack on New Delhi’s ties with Moscow, dismissing both countries as “dead economies” and bluntly stating that he “does not care” what India does with Russia.

Trump has said he would consider imposing steep tariffs — as high as 100% — on imports from any country that continues to purchase oil from Russia unless Russia agrees to a peace deal with Ukraine.