Washington [US], October 16 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (local time) claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him India would stop purchasing oil from Russia, calling it “a big step” in efforts to increase pressure on Moscow.
Trump made the remarks during a joint news conference with FBI Director Kash Patel at the Oval Office, where the two also highlighted the administration’s measures to curb violent crime.
Responding to ANI’s question on India as a partner, Trump said, “Yeah, sure. He’s [PM Modi] a friend of mine. We have a great relationship…I was not happy that India was buying oil. And he assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That’s a big stop. Now we’ve got to get China to do the same thing…”
He criticised India’s previous oil imports from Russia, stating, “We were not happy with him buying oil from Russia, because that lets Russia continue on with this ridiculous war, where they’ve lost a million and a half people, by the way. Russia has lost a million and a half people, soldiers mostly.”
Trump called the ongoing conflict unnecessary, adding, “This is a war that should have never started, but it’s a war that Russia should have won in the first week, and they’re going into the fourth year. And I want to see it stop. So I was not happy that India was buying oil.”
He expressed optimism about resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict, saying, “And I think we’ll get it done. I think that Putin, President Putin, I think he’s going to, I think he wants to get it done. We’ll see.” On tensions between Moscow and Kyiv, Trump commented, “There’s a great animosity between him [Putin] and Zelensky, you probably have noticed. And it’s, I think it’s hurting the process.”
India has long maintained that its oil imports from Russia are essential for economic stability, even as Washington has urged New Delhi to diversify its energy sources. (ANI)
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