By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Senior White House advisor Stephen Miller criticized India for “financing” Russia’s war in Ukraine by continuing to import oil, stating that India’s purchases are now comparable to China’s. These remarks, made on Fox News, follow the implementation of a 25% tariff on Indian goods and signal a further hardening of Washington’s stance. Despite tariff threats, India intends to continue its Russian oil purchases, as its government sources indicate. Trump has even threatened 100% tariffs on imports from countries that maintain energy ties with Russia, further escalating the friction.
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‘Financing the war in Ukraine’: Trump aide slams India for buying Russian oil
It seems the big talking point these days is India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, and how that supposedly funds the war in Ukraine. One of Trump’s former advisors, a fellow named Stephen Miller, is making some noise about this, calling it “astonishing” and saying it’s not acceptable. He’s basically saying India is helping finance the conflict by buying discounted Russian oil. Now, of course, he tries to soften the blow a bit by mentioning Trump’s “tremendous” relationship with India’s Prime Minister Modi, but the core message is clear: India’s actions are problematic.
The thing is, the oil market is a complex beast. Russia is a major oil exporter, and if one buyer like the EU pulls out, someone else is bound to step in. It’s just the way things work. India and Turkey have significantly increased their imports, filling the void left by the EU. So, even if India stopped, wouldn’t someone else just take their place? It’s a bit like playing whack-a-mole, and it’s not necessarily going to stop the oil from flowing.
Then there’s the question of why India is buying the oil in the first place. Well, the main reason Russia’s offering it at a steep discount. It makes sense for India to take advantage of those lower prices to help fuel its massive population’s energy needs. Also, America has other issues, like its relationship with Pakistan, that they should deal with.
Some people are saying this isn’t really about the oil or the war at all, but about something deeper. They believe the US is trying to assert its control, possibly with the goal of neutering a potential rival to the current world financial payments systems, like India, Brazil, China, and Russia. The imposition of tariffs on countries like Brazil seems to support this view, as does the alleged humiliation of some European countries.
The real issue at hand has now gone beyond the immediate conflict, becoming one of national sovereignty. It appears that the US may not be interested in true allies, but in subservient client states to further its geopolitical interests.
And it raises a few questions that need answering. For instance, if the US truly wants to cut off Russian revenue, why didn’t they impose high tariffs on Russian oil in the first place, like they’ve done to other countries? Or why wasn’t Trump also taking a stronger stance against Russia, particularly during a time when he was reportedly friendly with Putin?
There are definitely accusations that America isn’t playing fair. They claim it is hypocritical of the US to criticize India for buying Russian oil when they themselves were friendly with Russia just a short time ago.
Let’s be clear, there are people who believe that the US doesn’t care about Ukraine, the sanctions are more about financial control and reducing an alternative financial system, and that America is just looking for ways to influence and shape the world. The fact that European countries still buy Russian natural gas through middlemen supports the idea that this isn’t just about stopping the war.
There are a lot of arguments that are raised concerning the overall hypocrisy of the US. Some may say that if you’re friends with Russia, you can’t be friends with the US. However, the realities of the world may dictate something else. Some folks may see a different perspective. If the US really wanted to stop India from buying Russian oil, some believe they could use tactics like withholding H-1B visas.
It’s a complicated situation, and it’s easy to see both sides of the argument. Some people believe that the US is simply playing a political game and using the war as a way to assert dominance. The situation is a political and economic chess match. It’s worth remembering that the oil market is global. Even if India stops buying Russian oil, someone else will probably step in.