Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday argued that if the United States continues to purchase Russian nuclear fuel, India should be entitled to similar access to Russian energy supplies. He made the remark while responding to a question about former US President Donald Trump’s criticism of India’s imports of Russian oil.
US Still Buying Russian Nuclear Fuel, Says Putin
In an interview with India Today, Putin noted, “As for India’s purchase of energy resources from Russia… the United States itself still buys nuclear fuel from us for its own nuclear power plants.”
Calling uranium “fuel for the reactors operating in the United States,” he added, “If the US has the right to buy our fuel, why shouldn’t India have the same privilege?”
Trump’s Tariffs on India
Trump had earlier imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on India for purchasing Russian oil, taking the total tariff to 50 per cent as of August, the highest rate applied to any country.
Commenting on Trump’s decision, Putin said, “He is acting in good faith, I presume… His decisions aren’t made out of thin air. He has advisors who believe that such tariff policies ultimately benefit the US economy.”
Russia Rejects Tariff Practices
Putin emphasised that Russia neither engages in nor plans to adopt similar trade measures. “Our experts believe there are risks involved, but it is the choice of each country… We have never engaged in such practices, do not do so now, and have no intention of doing so in the future,” he said, adding that Russia hopes violations of World Trade Organization rules will eventually be corrected.
