US Secretary of State Marco Rubio slams India over Russian oil purchases, calls it "point of irritation" in ties

Washington [US], August 1 : United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed sharp disappointment over India's continued oil imports from Russia, calling it a "point of irritation" in the bilateral relationship and noting that such purchases are "helping to fund the war effort" in Ukraine.

Speaking to Fox Radio's Brian Kilmeade, Rubio said, "India is an ally. It's a strategic partner. Like anything in foreign policy, you're not going to align a hundred percent of the time on everything."

"India has huge energy needs and that includes the ability to buy oil and coal and gas and things that it needs to power its economy like every country does, and it buys it from Russia, because Russian oil is sanctioned and cheap and - meaning they have to - in many cases, they're selling it under the global price because of the sanctions," he explained.

The US State Secreatary underlined the impact of this trade on the ongoing war in Ukraine. "That - unfortunately that is helping to sustain the Russian war effort. So it is most certainly a point of irritation in our relationship with India - not the only point of irritation. We also have many other points of cooperation with them," he said.

"But I think what you're seeing the President express is the very clear frustration that with so many other oil vendors available, India continues to buy so much from Russia, which in essence is helping to fund the war effort and allowing this war to continue in Ukraine," he added.

Rubio's comments came in the backdrop of President Donald Trump's post on Truth Social, where he announced a 25% tariff and additional penalties on India starting August 1, citing its Russian oil imports making up 35% of its overall supply in the first half of the year.

Rubio also detailed the broader context of US engagement with Russia and possible punitive options, saying, "The President has waited over six months now and given the best efforts possible... We've not seen any progress." He added that Trump has options like "secondary sanctions on oil sales of Russia oil" and "sectoral banking sanctions" if there's no sincere interest in peace from Moscow.

On Russian threats, Rubio dismissed former president Dmitry Medvedev's recent comments as inflammatory but irrelevant. "He's not a relevant player in Russian politics... he's certainly someone in an official position in Russia who's saying things that are inflammatory... I don't think that's going to be a factor one way or the other," he said.

He also ruled out any real possibility of a U.S.-Russia war, saying, "That's not even a fathomable thing... I think what you worry more about is a skirmish or a miscalculation... since the Russians are not very good at conventional weaponry, they would almost invariably have to rely on some other means like a tactical nuclear weapon."

Commenting on the recognition of a Palestinian state by some Western countries, Rubio called the move "irrelevant" and "counterproductive," warning it only emboldens Hamas and hurts ceasefire efforts. "There can be no Palestinian state unless Israel agrees to it... It's counterproductive," he said.

He also credited Arab nations like Qatar for pushing Hamas toward a ceasefire but criticized the impact of international statements recognizing Palestine. "Israel actually made a bunch of concessions that Hamas had asked for... and then Hamas came back and just rejected the deal - and by the way, rejected it on the same day that Macron from France made his announcement," he noted.

On China, Rubio acknowledged complex ties and recent trade talks: "We have plenty of issues that we disagree with China on... but a mature foreign policy requires strategic balancing of equities." He added, "There are vulnerabilities that we need to close... and I think it's time we have a responsible " before being cut off by the end of the interview.

Rubio also strongly defended his earlier Senate investigation into the 2016 US election interference, reiterating, "There was zero, zilch proof whatsoever - any evidence of any kind - that the Trump campaign in any way colluded with the Russians." He slammed the handling of the Steele dossier, calling it "a lie" that "cost millions of dollars in investigations - all chasing a hoax."

He criticized US and international media for neglecting the plight of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. "We've done more than, frankly, anybody else in terms of providing funding... You know what the cameras don't capture? The suffering of 20 people living in tunnels right now taken hostage by Hamas."

Rubio's remarks highlight escalating tensions between Washington and its key allies, particularly over Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and the shifting geopolitical calculus around China, Israel, and West Asia.

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