US President Trump claimed that India will stop buying oil from Russia, which PM Modi assured. However, India’s Ministry of External Affairs has denied any such talks. According to sources, Russian oil imports will continue.
Washington/Delhi: US President Donald Trump has once again reiterated that India will stop buying oil from Russia. Trump expressed this belief during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House. Trump said, ‘India will not buy oil from Russia. They have already reduced it. This comment comes amid Trump’s claims that he can end the war in Ukraine using diplomacy and tariffs if NATO countries stop buying Russian oil.
Soft stance on Hungary
When it came to Hungary, a NATO member dependent on Russian crude oil, Trump’s tone changed. “Hungary is kind of stuck because they’ve only had one pipeline for years,” Trump said. They are a landlocked country. They have no connection with the sea. It is very difficult for them to get oil. I understand this. Describing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as an excellent leader, Trump also reiterated that he has spoken to him and plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest in the coming weeks.
Trump’s claim- Talked to Modi; Foreign Ministry denied
Trump had said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him that India would stop buying oil from Russia as part of efforts to isolate Moscow due to the Russia-Ukraine war. He called it a big step. Trump said that he was not happy with India buying oil. His words were, ‘He (PM Modi) has assured that he will not buy oil from Russia. This is a big step. Now we will have to get China to do the same.
But, India’s Foreign Ministry clarified on Thursday that there was no phone conversation between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump. After this, government sources said that at present there will be no change in the import of Russian oil. According to the data, the imports so far in October are more than the previous month.