Donald Trump’s Russian diesel deal sparks a fresh diplomatic showdown as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky calls the move a “gift to Putin.” Trump says Russia will release 300,000 tonnes of diesel immediately, followed by 500,000 tonnes in November and further supplies thereafter. The reported agreement also includes a temporary suspension of US sanctions on Russian diesel exports. The US has previously threatened tariff measures against countries importing Russian oil, including India. Zelensky warns that revenue from Russian fuel sales could help Moscow sustain its war against Ukraine. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin have begun high-level bilateral talks in New Delhi, with trade, defence, economic cooperation and strategic ties at the centre of the India-Russia agenda. A major highlight of the meeting was Modi's presentation of a Russian translation of the Thirukkural to Putin, bringing Tamil classical literature and India's cultural heritage into the diplomatic engagement. The Thirukkural, comprising 1,330 couplets, added a significant cultural dimension to the leaders' discussions. The talks also focus on an ambitious $100 billion India-Russia bilateral trade target by 2030, with New Delhi seeking greater access to Russian markets and expanded industrial cooperation across sectors including railways and tunnelling. WATCH