US Secretary of State criticises India’s Russian oil imports
WASHINGTON: United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed sharp disappointment over India’s continued oil imports from Russia, calling it a ‘point of irritation’ in the bilateral relationship and saying the purchases are ‘helping to fund the war effort’ in Ukraine.
Speaking to Fox Radio’s Brian Kilmeade, Rubio said, ‘India is an ally. It’s a strategic partner. Like anything in foreign policy, you’re not going to align 100% of the time on everything.’
He added, ‘India has huge energy needs and that includes the ability to buy oil and coal and gas and things that it needs to power its economy like every country does, and it buys it from Russia, because Russian oil is sanctioned and cheap – meaning they have to – in many cases, they are selling it below the global price because of the sanctions.’
Rubio underlined the impact of these purchases on the war in Ukraine. ‘That – unfortunately that is helping to sustain the Russian war effort. So it is most certainly a point of irritation in our relationship with India – not the only point of irritation. We also have many other points of cooperation with them.’
‘But I think what you’re seeing the President express is the very clear frustration that with so many other oil vendors available, India continues to buy so much from Russia, which in essence is helping to fund the war effort – and allowing this war to continue in Ukraine,’ he said.
His comments came amid President Donald Trump’s post on Truth Social, where Trump announced a 25% tariff and additional penalties on India from August 1, citing Russian oil imports as 35% of India’s overall supply in the first half of the year.
Rubio also outlined possible punitive measures against Russia. ‘The President has waited over six months now and given the best efforts possible… we’ve not seen any progress,’ he said, adding that Trump could impose ‘secondary sanctions on Russian oil sales’ and ‘sectoral banking sanctions’ if Moscow shows no sincere interest in peace.
On Russian threats, Rubio dismissed former president Dmitry Medvedev’s recent remarks as ‘inflammatory but irrelevant’, saying: ‘He’s not a relevant player in Russian politics… I don’t think that’s going to be a factor one way or the other.’
He ruled out any prospect of a US–Russia war, warning: ‘That’s not even a fathomable thing… I think what you worry more about is a skirmish or a miscalculation… since the Russians are not very good at conventional weaponry, they would almost invariably have to rely on some other means like a tactical nuclear weapon.’
Commenting on recognition of a Palestinian state by some Western countries, Rubio called the move ‘irrelevant’ and ‘counterproductive’, saying it emboldens Hamas and hinders ceasefire efforts. ‘There can be no Palestinian state unless Israel agrees to it… it’s counterproductive.’
He commended Arab nations such as Qatar for pushing Hamas towards a ceasefire but criticised statements recognising Palestine. ‘Israel actually made a bunch of concessions that Hamas had asked for… and then Hamas came back and just rejected the deal – and by the way, rejected it on the same day that Macron from France made his announcement.’
On China, Rubio acknowledged complex ties and recent trade talks. ‘We have plenty of issues that we disagree with China on… but a mature foreign policy requires strategic balancing of equities,’ he said. ‘There are vulnerabilities that we need to close… and I think it’s time we have a responsible –’ before the interview ended.
Rubio also defended his Senate investigation into the 2016 US election interference, stating: ‘There was zero, zilch proof whatsoever – any evidence of any kind – that the Trump campaign in any way colluded with the Russians.’ He denounced the Steele dossier as ‘a lie that cost millions of dollars in investigations – all chasing a hoax.’
He accused US and international media of ignoring the plight of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. ‘We’ve done more than, frankly, anybody else in terms of providing funding… you know what the cameras don’t capture? The suffering of 20 people living in tunnels right now taken hostage by Hamas.’
Rubio’s remarks highlight escalating tensions between Washington and its key allies, particularly over Russia’s war in Ukraine and the shifting geopolitical dynamics around China, Israel and West Asia.
By RSS/ANI
