India’s secondary sanctions factor into Alaska meeting with Putin, says Trump
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US President Donald Trump has claimed that the 25% secondary sanctions imposed on India over its purchase of Russian oil have “influenced” Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to meet him in Alaska.
Speaking on the Brian Kilmeade Radio show on Thursday, Trump said Putin is “convinced of making a deal” that could potentially end the war in Ukraine.
The two leaders are set to meet on Friday.
Trump said he had considered three possible locations for the meeting but suggested Alaska would be the “easiest.” He also added there was a “25% chance the meeting is a failure.” If the talks with Putin go well, Trump said he would “call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.”
Meanwhile, the Kremlin released a statement quoting Putin as praising the “vigorous and sincere efforts” of the current US administration to halt hostilities, resolve the crisis, and reach agreements serving all parties.
Putin also mentioned “subsequent stages involving agreements on strategic offensive arms control,” in light of Trump’s recent order to position nuclear submarines near Russia. Trump has said the move was in response to “highly provocative statements” by former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council.
Indian policymakers are closely watching the developments.
Shashi Tharoor, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs, told ANI that the US could lift the additional 25% tariffs on India if the Russia-Ukraine war ends. “If after the meeting with Putin, there is a meeting with Ukraine, then the second 25% tariff imposed on us due to buying Russian oil will be removed, because it was in the context of the war (between Russia and Ukraine),” Tharoor said.