Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday sent a sharp message to US President Donald Trump. Putin said that India has every right to purchase energy resources from Russia, questioning why New Delhi should be denied a privilege that the United States itself exercises. His comments came during an interview with India Today, ahead of his two-day visit to New Delhi.
‘If the U.S. Can Buy Russian Fuel, Why Can’t India?’ Asks Putin
Responding to a question about US President Donald Trump’s criticism of India’s continued imports of Russian oil, Putin pointed to Washington’s own energy dealings with Moscow.
“As for India’s purchase of energy resources from Russia, I would like to note and have already mentioned publicly this once, the United States itself still buys nuclear fuel from us for its own nuclear power plants,” Putin said.
He further underscored that the US imports uranium, which he described as “fuel”, for reactors operating on American soil. “If the US has the right to buy our fuel, why shouldn’t India have the same privilege?” he added.
Putin on Tariffs and Donald Trump’s Approach
Trump has previously imposed an additional 25% tariff on India over its Russian oil imports, taking the total duty to 50%.
Addressing Trump’s tariff move, Putin said, “He (Trump) is acting in good faith, I presume.” He noted that the US President formulates policy based on counsel from advisers who believe tariff-heavy strategies benefit America economically.
“He pursues his own policy and he has advisors. His decisions aren’t made out of thin air. He has advisors who believe in implementing such tariff policies involving the imposition of additional duties on trade partners ultimately benefits the US economy. He is acting in good faith, I presume,” Putin remarked.
Russia Rejects Tariff-Based Practices
Putin clarified that Russia neither adopts such economic measures nor intends to do so.
“Our experts believe there are risks involved, but it is the choice of each country and its leadership to decide which economic policy to adopt. We have never engaged in such practices, do not do so now, and have no intention of doing so in the future,” he said.
He emphasised that Russia continues to maintain an open economic system and expressed hope that global trading standards would eventually be upheld. “Our economy is open. We hope that, in the end, all violations of World Trade Organisation regulations will be rectified,” Putin added.
Also Read: Will Putin’s India Visit Annoy Donald Trump? Here’s Why US Is Watching Closely
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
