A senior aide to U.S. President Donald Trump has accused India of helping finance Russia’s war in Ukraine by continuing to buy oil from Moscow. The statement was made on Sunday by Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff, during an appearance on Fox News.
Miller said President Trump has made it clear that India’s oil purchases from Russia are not acceptable, especially during a time of war. “What he said very clearly is that it is not acceptable for India to continue financing this war by purchasing the oil from Russia,” Miller stated.
His remarks mark one of the strongest criticisms of India from the Trump administration. Miller pointed out that India is almost on par with China when it comes to buying oil from Russia. “People will be shocked to learn that India is basically tied with China in purchasing Russian oil. That’s an astonishing fact,” he said.
India has not yet officially responded to the comments. However, sources from the Indian government told Reuters earlier that New Delhi has no plans to stop buying oil from Russia, despite pressure from Washington.
Last week, the U.S. imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods in response to India’s continued defense and energy deals with Russia. Trump has also warned that tariffs could increase to 100% on imports from countries that support Russia economically unless Moscow agrees to a major peace deal with Ukraine.
Despite the criticism, Miller acknowledged Trump’s good relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling it “tremendous.” Still, the comments reflect growing tensions between the two countries over foreign policy and global energy trade.
