"Sovereign Nations Have Right...": Russia Backs India Amid US Tariff Threat

Russia has accused the United States of exerting illegal trade pressure on India over its oil imports from them after US President Donald Trump threatened to raise tariffs citing purchase of Russian oil.

"We hear many statements that are in fact threats, attempts to force countries to cut trade relations with Russia. We do not consider such statements to be legal," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

He explained that sovereign nations have a right to choose their own trading partners. 

Peskov said, "We believe that sovereign countries should have and do have the right to choose their own trading partners, partners for trade and economic cooperation, and to choose for themselves the forms of trade and economic cooperation that are in the interests of a particular country."

On Friday Trump had announced that he will be imposing new sanctions on Russia and on countries that buy its energy exports, unless Moscow takes measures to end its conflict with Ukraine. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin showed no change towards his stance on the war, despite the deadline.

In another development, India has termed Trump's tariff threats as "unjustified" and vowed that it would protect the country's economic interests.

"Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security."

New Delhi also reminded Washington that when it began importing from Russia after the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, the US "actively encouraged such imports". It also countered the stance of the European Union for singling out Indian refiners over their exports of crude.

The foreign ministry said that while India's imports are "a necessity compelled by the global market situation", the nations criticising it are themselves "indulging in trade with Russia" even when "such trade is not even a vital compulsion".

Two Indian government sources told Reuters on the weekend that India will keep purchasing oil from Russia despite Trump's threats.