- US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Europe is financing the Russia-Ukraine war via India
- Europe buys Russian oil products refined in India despite phasing out direct Moscow energy ties
- US imposed 25% tariffs on India for buying Russian oil amid ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict
The United States has warned that Europe is financing a "war" against itself by signing the "mother of all trade deals" with India. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Europe may have significantly phased out direct energy ties with Moscow, but they are indirectly funding the Russia-Ukraine war by purchasing Russian oil products refined in India, even as Washington targeted New Delhi with tariffs.
Bessent's remarks came as India and the European Union concluded negotiations on their long-pending free trade agreement, with the deal set to be formally announced on Tuesday.
What The US Said
Bessent framed the issue as an imbalance in sacrifice between the United States and its allies. He argued that while Washington has pushed to destabilise Moscow's energy trade, Europe continues to benefit economically from loopholes in the global oil trade. The Trump administration has imposed 50 per cent tariffs on India, including 25 per cent for Delhi's purchases of Russian oil.
He claimed that US President Donald Trump has worked to negotiate a settlement on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, adding that the US has made much bigger sacrifices than the Europeans.
"We have put 25 per cent tariffs on India for buying Russian oil. Guess what happened last week? The Europeans signed a trade deal with India," Bessent told ABC News Sunday.
"And just to be clear again, the Russian oil goes into India, the refined products come out, and the Europeans buy the refined products. They are financing the war against themselves," he said, adding that under Trump's leadership, "we will eventually end" the Russia-Ukraine war.
India-EU Trade Deal
India and the European Union are set to announce the conclusion of negotiations and finalisation of a free trade agreement today, aimed at boosting economic ties between the two regions amid disruptions in global trade due to US tariffs. The talks started in 2007.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is currently in India and was the chief guest at the 77th Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, has termed the EU-India FTA as the "mother of all trade deals".
