The Kremlin has interpreted US President Donald Trump’s latest actions as a direct threat against Russia’s trading partners. Speaking on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that such pressures would be viewed as “threats,” and that efforts to force countries to stop trading with Russia are “illegal.” The statement marks a clear escalation of rhetoric from Moscow in response to the US’s actions.
Trump’s warning, delivered a day earlier, was a direct assault on India’s trade policy. He accused India of buying cheap Russian oil, refining it, and then selling it on the open market for a profit. He linked this practice to the war in Ukraine and vowed to “substantially” raise tariffs on Indian goods, adding to the 25% tariff that was already in effect.
The Indian government’s response was equally defiant. The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement that called the targeting of India by the US and EU “unjustified and unreasonable.” It emphasized that India would take all necessary steps to “safeguard its national interests and economic security.”
The diplomatic exchange highlights a growing power struggle over global economic influence. Russia’s public support for India signals a strengthening of their strategic partnership, as both nations resist what they see as coercive US trade policies. The situation underscores the limitations of using economic sanctions to dictate the foreign policy of sovereign nations.