“China and India are the primary funders of the ongoing war by continuing to purchase Russian oil,” Trump said, speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. “But even NATO countries have not cut off much of Russia’s energy. I found out about that two weeks ago, and I wasn’t happy. Think of it. They’re funding the war against themselves.”
Trump said he will press European leaders after the UN meetings to stop all energy imports from Russia, stressing it was “necessary to immediately stop all purchases.”
Republican Senator Marco Rubio echoed Trump’s concerns, calling India’s oil imports “a point of irritation in US-India ties” and warning that they “help sustain Moscow’s war effort.” India, which has emerged as a top buyer of Russian crude since 2022, was singled out as a “partner, but not fully aligned.”
While stressing that Washington values its strategic partnership with New Delhi, Rubio said, “There are other vendors. Hope we can fix this.”
China imported over 100 million tonnes of Russian crude in 2024, while India imported around 88 million tonnes, making them Moscow’s largest energy lifelines.
Several NATO members—including Turkey, Hungary, and Slovakia—still buy Russian oil or refined products, despite EU-wide sanctions aimed at limiting Moscow’s revenues.
The Biden administration and G7 had earlier capped the price of Russian oil at $60 per barrel, but enforcement has been weak, allowing Russia to reroute crude to Asia.
