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‘Causes rift with India': Trump recasts Russia-linked tariffs, points at Europe
"I've already done it,” Trump said about pressuring Putin via tariffs on India's oil purchases from Russia; again mentions India-Pakistan as ‘war I solved’
US President Donald Trump on Friday sought to describe the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the resultant tariffs on India and other countries that buy oil from Moscow despite the war, in a different light than his usual stance. “Remember, this is a Europe problem much more than our problem,” Trump said.
Having softened his tone towards India after recent bonhomie over social media with PM Narendra Modi, Trump said imposing tariffs meant the Washington-Delhi relationship took a hit. He, therefore, asked Europe to act too. It was not clear if he meant EU should put tariffs on India.
Bonhomie apart, Trump repeated his claim about having “stopped a war” between India and Pakistan after military hostilities over a terror attack in Kashmir — something India denies, stressing its sovereignty, while Trump uses it to lobby for the Nobel Peace Prize.
He also claimed that India was Russia's biggest customer, though India has underlined that's China.
Asked about clamping down on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his war effort, Trump said, “I put a 50 per cent tariff on India because they're buying oil from Russia. That's not an easy thing to do. That's a big deal and it causes a rift with India.” He was speaking in a talk show on the TV channel Fox.
"I've already done it. I've done a lot,” Trump said, referencing the tariffs on India, stressing that Europe, of which Ukraine is a part, would need to do more.
He went on to reiterate that he had resolved multiple international conflicts so far in his second term as President, PTI reported. “I solved seven wars. I did so many, including Pakistan and India, but big ones, some were unsolvable, (like) Congo and Rwanda; I solved it,” he said.
His “stopped wars” claims aside, on tariffs Trump's stance was more measured in tone than what the US treasury said on Friday — it characterised India's purchase of oil from Russia as “funding Putin’s war machine”, repeating earlier words of US officials.
But the treasury wants the Group of Seven and European Union allies impose "meaningful tariffs" on China and India. It also convened a G7 meeting on finances specifically to discuss how pressure could be stepped up on Moscow to end the war.
"Chinese and Indian purchases of Russian oil are funding Putin’s war machine and prolonging the senseless killing of the Ukrainian people," a US Treasury spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Reuters on Friday.
"Earlier this week, we made it clear to our EU allies that if they are serious about ending the war in their own backyard, they need to join us and impose meaningful tariffs that will be rescinded the day the war ends," the spokesperson added.
This means top American officials and institutions continue with mixed signals on tariffs and trade talks.
On Thursday, Sergio Gor, set to be the next US envoy to India, said Trump is “crystal clear” that India must stop buying Russian oil. US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick also on Thursday said: “We're going to sort out India… once they stop buying Russian oil.”
Of the 50% tariff rate India faces on its exports to the US, half are imposed as “penalty” for buying oil from Russia.
The US believes if India stops the oil purchases, that'll squeeze Russia's revenue and force a stop to the war in Ukraine. The US has not acted against China on the same count. India has repeatedly said its oil purchases are simply driven by national interest and better prices, factors that did not bother the US earlier.
Trade-deal talks have resumed after Trump and Modi recently had social-media exchanges of mutual admiration.
That came also after India stressed India's historic relations with Russia and sought to reset its relations with China despite US pressure.
