US President Donald Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured him that India will stop buying oil from Russia, calling it a “big step” toward isolating Moscow financially. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he received assurances from Modi that India would end its Russian oil imports “within a short period of time,” according to a Reuters report.
During a White House event, Trump described his relationship with Modi as warm and friendly but admitted he was “not happy” about India purchasing oil from Russia. “He’s a friend of mine, we have a great relationship… but we were not happy with him buying oil from Russia because that let Russia continue on with this ridiculous war where they’ve lost a million and a half people,” Trump said.
Oil and gas remain Russia’s biggest exports, with China, India, and Turkey among its major buyers, BBC reported. Trump reiterated that Modi had assured him India would halt its Russian oil purchases, calling it “a big step,” and added, “Now we’ve got to get China to do the same thing.”
