Russia on Tuesday accused the United States of applying “illegal” trade pressure on India, following renewed threats from US President Donald Trump to raise tariffs on New Delhi over its continued purchase of Russian oil.
“We hear many statements that are in fact threats, attempts to force countries to cut trade relations with Russia. We do not consider such statements to be legal,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow.
Peskov insisted that sovereign nations had the right to choose their own trade partners without external interference.
“We believe that sovereign countries should have and do have the right to choose their own trading partners, partners for trade and economic cooperation, and to choose for themselves the forms of trade and economic cooperation that are in the interests of a particular country,” he said.
His comments came after President Trump warned that beginning Friday, the US would impose new sanctions not only on Russia but also on countries that continue to purchase its energy exports. Trump has linked the sanctions to Moscow’s failure to end its 3½-year war with Ukraine.
Despite mounting pressure, Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown no sign of altering his position on the conflict.
India, a key strategic partner of both Washington and Moscow, has pushed back against Trump’s threats. Calling the US move “unjustified”, New Delhi has vowed to protect its economic interests.
According to two Indian government sources cited by Reuters over the weekend, India intends to continue buying oil from Russia despite the threat of US sanctions.
Boluwatife Enome
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