"Stop Singling Out India...": US Expert On Trump's Russia Oil Charges

US Strategic Affairs Expert Ashley J. Tellis said that the US should stop "singling out" India over President Donald Trump's frustration regarding peacemaking in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. In an interview to NDTV, Mr Tellis said that there are many others who bear the responsibility for making "Trump's life difficult" with respect to his peace initiative.

"Stop singling out India as the author of all the complications for Trump's peace initiative in Ukraine. There are many who bear the responsibility for making President Trump's life difficult with respect to his Ukraine peace initiative. So stop singling out India as if it is the only author of his misfortunes", he said.

#NDTVExclusive | "Neither PM Modi nor US President Trump can engineer peace in Ukraine": US Strategic Affairs Expert Ashley J. Tellis to @shivaroor pic.twitter.com/Z7rpYsqaRs

— NDTV (@ndtv) September 2, 2025

The Trump administration on August 27 doubled India's tariffs to 50 per cent to punish it for buying Russian oil and fuelling the Ukraine war. New Delhi, in 2022, had become a major importer of Russian crude at the start of the Russia-Ukraine war.

However, China is the largest buyer of Russian oil. In 2024, China imported USD 62.6 billion worth of Russian oil, compared to India's USD 52.7 billion. Despite this, Mr Trump has focused his criticism on India, ignoring China's bigger role.

Mr Trump's Trade Advisor Peter Navarro had labelled the Russia-Ukraine conflict "Modi's war", claiming that it was because of New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian energy that was powering Moscow's military aggression.

In an interview with Bloomberg Television, Mr Navarro referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, "I mean Modi's war because the road to peace runs, in part, through New Delhi."

Moreover, Mr Tellis explained that "Neither Prime Minister Modi nor President Trump can engineer a peace in Ukraine as long as President Putin stands fast to his original objectives." He expanded on it saying that Mr Putin is not going to stop the war simply because "his best friends abroad have persuaded him".

Mr Trump on Tuesday expressed his disappointment in Mr Putin and said that the US is preparing to take measures in order to reduce the deaths in the war. 

"I am very disappointed in President Putin, I can say that, and we will be doing something to help people live," Mr Trump said in an interview on The Scott Jennings Radio Show.

Earlier in August Mr Trump held a summit with Mr Putin in Alaska, and met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders at the White House. He expected that Mr Putin and Mr Zelensky would have a bilateral meeting before a trilateral meeting involving him.

However, the meetings have not taken place as Russia says the agenda for it was not yet ready, while Ukraine was of the opinion that Moscow is doing everything to prevent the meeting.