In a development that could have ramifications for India, US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he’s ready for another round of sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine. “Yeah, I am,” he told reporters when asked about it at the White House, but said no more.
But there’s key context from just hours earlier. Trump’s “yeah” came just hours after US treasury secretary Scott Bessent called for more sanctions on countries that buy oil from Russia — India has been prominent on this list — to ensure the “collapse” of the Russian economy.
Bessent argued that only such a collapse could force Vladimir Putin into talks with Ukraine. Trump’s mediation to bring about peace hasn’t really worked despite a summit with Putin in Alaska. The war has, in fact, escalated since.
In his reference to “countries that buy Russian oil”, Bessent did not name any as such, but India is the biggest target of US tariffs over this issue.
This new round of developments comes just a couple of days after President Trump and PM Narendra Modi had a mutual-appreciation moment through the press and social media.
“If the US and the EU can come in with more sanctions, more secondary tariffs on the countries that buy Russian oil, the Russian economy will be in full collapse and that will bring President Putin to the table,” Bessent told NBC.
Russia is already under crippling sanctions from both the US and Europe since the start of the war, but has found customers for its oil and gas in India, China and elsewhere, ensuring a revenue flow.
Top US officials, including Vice President JD Vance, have said the US wants to squeeze this revenue stream.
That’s why they have called the Ukraine conflict “Modi’s war”, accusing India of “fueling the Russian war machine”. Vance has pointedly said the tariffs on India are “leverage” against Putin.
India has questioned the logic of the 25% “penal” tariff — meaning a total US import duties of 50% on most Indian goods — and argued that it has been buying the oil only in its sovereign national interest.
Meanwhile, the war on Ukraine grew graver on Sunday as Russia bombed the main government complex in Kyiv.