US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday the Trump administration hopes it can “fix” the punitive measures slapped on India for its purchases of Russian oil, even as Washington weighs fresh sanctions against Moscow over the war in Ukraine.
Speaking in an interview with NBC’s Today show, Rubio criticized Europe for continuing to buy “massive amounts of oil and natural gas from Russia,” calling it “absurd.” He added: “They’re asking for the US to impose more sanctions, but there are countries in Europe that are not doing enough.”
Turning to India, he noted: “We’ve already seen the measures we’ve taken with regards to India, although that’s something we hope we can fix. But – and the President has the ability to do more, and he’s considering doing more because of the direction this has taken.”
The Trump administration has slapped an additional 25 per cent tariff on New Delhi as a penalty for its Russian energy purchases, taking the total US levies on India to 50 per cent — among the steepest anywhere in the world.
Rubio stressed that President Trump remains frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s escalation of the war in Ukraine despite their summit in Alaska this August. “At some point, he may have to decide to impose new sanctions,” Rubio said, adding: “But let’s remember, he didn’t start this war. He inherited it, and all he’s wanted to do is end it.”
The secretary also reprised Trump’s claims of ending regional conflicts. “Look what the President’s done and the wars he’s brought about to an end – Thailand and Cambodia, India and Pakistan. Time and again, the President has been the only leader in the world that can get involved,” Rubio said. “That doesn’t sound like a third-world country to me. That sounds like a very powerful, influential country who is stronger and more respected on the world stage.”
India, however, maintains that the truce on the Line of Control was achieved through direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two armies.
Rubio met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in New York on Monday on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly session. Their hour-long meeting was the first face-to-face since tensions rose over trade tariffs and India’s energy ties with Russia.
– Ends
Tune In