A top aide to US President Donald Trump has accused India of effectively financing Russia's war in Ukraine by purchasing oil from Moscow, after the US leader escalated pressure on New Delhi to stop buying Russian oil.
"What he (Trump) said very clearly is that it is not acceptable for India to continue financing this war by purchasing the oil from Russia," said Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff at the White House and one of Trump's most influential aides.
After over nearly two decades of steady progress, India-US relations may, quite abruptly, be at an inflection point with President Donald Trump and his team making hostile remarks against India.
After Trump’s slew of statements on social media targeting India, one of his top advisers at the White House, Stephen Miller, has launched a scathing attack on India. Miller has accused India of funding the war in Ukraine.
The remarks made by Miller on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, suggest a hardening stance from Washington towards New Delhi, despite India being a key Indo-Pacific partner of the US.
Miller said, “It is unacceptable for India to continue funding this war by buying oil from Russia.” He further stated that the figures are “shocking.” He further claimed that in terms of purchasing Russian oil, India is now almost on par with China — a comparison that could surprise both Washington and New Delhi.
He said, “People would be shocked to learn that India is essentially on par with China when it comes to buying Russian oil. That is a startling fact.” It is important to note that the statement made by Miller comes just days after the US imposed a 25 percent tariff on Indian goods. Along with this tariff, Trump also mentioned the possibility of imposing penalties on India for purchasing Russian oil and weapons. However, it is currently unclear how large those penalties might be.