White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that US President Donald Trump has taken several measures, including imposing secondary tariffs on India, to help bring the war in Ukraine to a conclusion. This statement comes amid claims by US officials that India earned “huge” profits from the sale of Russian oil during and after the conflict. Trump also suggested that these sanctions may have influenced Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet him.
During a press briefing, Leavitt said, “The President has put tremendous public pressure to bring this war to a close. He has taken actions as you have seen — sanctions on India and other actions as well. He has made himself very clear that he wants to see this war end and has rejected the ideas of others that we should wait another month before any meetings take place.”
She emphasized that Trump is eager to move forward and resolve the Ukraine war as quickly as possible.
Trump Meets Zelensky, Hints at Trilateral Talks
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House. Zelensky indicated his willingness to engage in a trilateral meeting with Putin to negotiate an end to the war. Trump described the meeting as a “very successful day,” while Zelensky called it the “best conversation” he had with the US President so far.
US Treasury Criticizes India Over Russian Oil Profits
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in an interview with CNBC, explained why China has not faced similar penalties for buying Russian oil, while India has. He said the difference lies in India “profiteering” from reselling Russian oil.
Bessent noted, “India had less than 1 per cent of its oil from Russia, and now it’s up to 42 per cent. India is just profiteering; they are reselling… They made 16 billion in excess profits, some of the richest families in India.” He added, “Indian arbitrage, which is buying cheap oil and reselling it, has just sprung up during the [Ukraine] war. This is just unacceptable.”
White House Advisor Peter Navarro Criticizes India
Meanwhile, White House trade advisor Peter Navarro criticized India for buying Russian energy and defence equipment, warning that the US would “hit India where it hurts” to change its policy. He described India’s oil trade with Russia as “opportunistic” and “corrosive” to global efforts to end the Ukraine war and isolate the Russian economy.
Navarro wrote in an opinion piece for the Financial Times, “As Russia continues to hammer Ukraine, helped by India’s financial support, American (and European) taxpayers are then forced to spend tens of billions more to help Ukraine’s defence. Meanwhile, India keeps slamming the door on American exports through high tariffs and trade barriers. More than 300,000 soldiers and civilians have been killed, while NATO’s eastern flank grows more exposed and the West foots the bill for India’s oil laundering.”
Trump Links Sanctions on India to Putin Meeting
Before his meeting with Putin in Alaska, Trump told a Fox News Radio show that his tariffs on India prompted the Russian President to meet him, stating, “everything has an impact.”
Trump explained that when India was informed of the doubled tariffs, it “essentially took them out of buying oil from Russia.” He highlighted that India is the second-largest buyer of Russian oil, approaching China, the largest purchaser.
He added that before the tariff increase — raising India’s duty to 50 per cent from the initially announced 25 per cent — India was “fueling the war machine” by purchasing oil from Russia.
