'Sovereign countries have right to...': Russia defends India amid Trump's tariff threat
Dmitry Peskov's remarks came in response to Trump's warning that the US would raise tariffs on goods from India due to its ongoing energy trade with Russia
- Aug 5, 2025,
- Updated Aug 5, 2025 5:35 PM IST
Russia on Tuesday reacted to US President Donald Trump's threat to impose higher tariffs on Indian goods over its purchase of Russian energy, calling the move "illegal". Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov addressed the matter, stating, "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."
"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," he added.
Peskov's remarks came in response to Trump's warning that the US would raise tariffs on goods from India due to its ongoing energy trade with Russia. The Russian leader's strong criticism reflected Moscow's frustration with what it views as undue pressure on sovereign trade decisions.
India, which has been increasingly targeted by the US and the EU over its purchase of Russian crude oil, fired back just days earlier. New Delhi's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) labeled the criticism "unjustified and unreasonable" and pointed out the double standards displayed by both Washington and Brussels.
"Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion," the MEA asserted in a statement. The ministry highlighted that while India was importing Russian oil in response to diverted supplies following the Ukraine conflict, both the US and EU continued their own trade relations with Russia.
India underscored that its oil imports were necessary to maintain stable and affordable energy costs for its citizens. Furthermore, it noted that during the onset of the Ukraine conflict, the US had actively encouraged India to increase such imports to help stabilize the global energy market.
The MEA also called attention to the extensive trade relations the US and EU maintain with Russia. "The European Union in 2024 had a bilateral trade of Euro 67.5 billion in goods with Russia. In addition, it had trade in services estimated at Euro 17.2 billion in 2023," the MEA said. "This is significantly more than India's total trade with Russia that year or subsequently."
Earlier, President Trump accused India of using Russian oil for profit. "India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil, they are then, for much of the oil purchased, selling it on the open market for big profits," Trump claimed. "They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine."
Russia on Tuesday reacted to US President Donald Trump's threat to impose higher tariffs on Indian goods over its purchase of Russian energy, calling the move "illegal". Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov addressed the matter, stating, "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."
"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," he added.
Peskov's remarks came in response to Trump's warning that the US would raise tariffs on goods from India due to its ongoing energy trade with Russia. The Russian leader's strong criticism reflected Moscow's frustration with what it views as undue pressure on sovereign trade decisions.
India, which has been increasingly targeted by the US and the EU over its purchase of Russian crude oil, fired back just days earlier. New Delhi's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) labeled the criticism "unjustified and unreasonable" and pointed out the double standards displayed by both Washington and Brussels.
"Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion," the MEA asserted in a statement. The ministry highlighted that while India was importing Russian oil in response to diverted supplies following the Ukraine conflict, both the US and EU continued their own trade relations with Russia.
India underscored that its oil imports were necessary to maintain stable and affordable energy costs for its citizens. Furthermore, it noted that during the onset of the Ukraine conflict, the US had actively encouraged India to increase such imports to help stabilize the global energy market.
The MEA also called attention to the extensive trade relations the US and EU maintain with Russia. "The European Union in 2024 had a bilateral trade of Euro 67.5 billion in goods with Russia. In addition, it had trade in services estimated at Euro 17.2 billion in 2023," the MEA said. "This is significantly more than India's total trade with Russia that year or subsequently."
Earlier, President Trump accused India of using Russian oil for profit. "India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil, they are then, for much of the oil purchased, selling it on the open market for big profits," Trump claimed. "They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine."