Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday (local time), Trump said it was important for India to address his concerns regarding Russian oil imports. The recent US strike on Venezuela has once again pushed oil to the centre of global geopolitics
The remarks come weeks after Donald Trump (right) and PM Modi held a conversation in which they emphasised the need to sustain momentum in bilateral trade ties. File pic
US President Donald Trump issued a fresh warning to India, saying Washington could raise tariffs if New Delhi continues importing Russian oil, and added that Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi was aware of his displeasure on the matter, news agency ANI reported.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday (local time), Trump said it was important for India to address his concerns regarding Russian oil imports.
“PM Modi’s a very good man. He’s a good guy. He knew I was not happy. It was important to make me happy. They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly,” Trump said.
The recent US strike on Venezuela has once again pushed oil to the centre of global geopolitics. Venezuela possesses massive oil reserves—over 303 billion barrels—making them the largest proven reserves in the world. However, output has fallen to about 1 million barrels per day due to US sanctions and underinvestment. According to OPEC data, Venezuela’s reserves, estimated at over 300 billion barrels, account for roughly 17% of the world’s total oil supply.
Trump’s warning comes amid increasing scrutiny in Washington of India’s energy trade with Russia, even as New Delhi has maintained that its oil purchases are critical for domestic energy security.
The remarks also come weeks after Trump and PM Modi held a telephone conversation in which both leaders emphasised the need to sustain momentum in bilateral trade ties despite ongoing tariff-related frictions.
That call coincided with the launch of a new round of talks between Indian and US officials aimed at resolving a long-standing trade impasse.
Only days before speaking with Modi, Trump had threatened to impose new tariffs on Indian rice imports, following complaints from a US farmer representative at a White House roundtable who alleged dumping by India, China, and Thailand.
Trump says Ukraine did not target Putin residence in drone strike, contrary to Kremlin claims
President Donald Trump said on Sunday that US officials have determined Ukraine did not target a residence belonging to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a drone attack last week, contradicting claims made by the Kremlin that Trump initially viewed with deep concern, news agency AP.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had said last week that Ukraine launched a wave of drones at Putin’s state residence in the northwestern Novgorod region, which Russian air defences reportedly repelled. Lavrov also criticized Kyiv for launching the attack during a period of intensive negotiations aimed at ending the war.
The allegation surfaced a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy travelled to Florida for talks with Trump on the US administration’s still-evolving 20-point plan to end the conflict. Zelenskyy quickly denied the Kremlin’s claim.
Trump said that “something happened nearby” Putin’s residence, but US officials did not find evidence that the Russian president’s residence itself was targeted, AP reported.
“I don’t believe that strike happened,” Trump told reporters while traveling back to Washington on Sunday after spending two weeks at his Florida home. “We don’t believe that happened, now that we’ve been able to check.”
(With ANI and AP inputs)
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