‘Guided by what's on offer': India on NATO official's warning on Russian oil
In an apparent reference to some European countries still buying Russian energy, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said there should be no 'double standards' on the issue.
Rutte has warned India, Brazil and China that they could face secondary sanctions if they continue to do business with Russia.
'We have seen reports on the subject and are closely following the developments. Let me reiterate that securing energy needs of our people is understandably an overriding priority for us,' Jaiswal told a weekly media briefing while responding to a question on Rutte's comments.
'In this endeavour, we are guided by what is on offer in the markets, and by the prevailing global circumstances. We would particularly caution against any double standards on the matter,' he said.
India, China and Brazil have been major buyers of Russian oil after the US and the European Union (EU) imposed sanctions on Russia over the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
'My encouragement to these three countries, particularly, is, if you live now in Beijing, or in Delhi, or you are the president of Brazil, you might want to take a look into this, because this might hit you very hard,' Rutte told reporters in Washington.
Rutte also urged the three countries to use their influence with Russia to get President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
'So please make the phone call to Vladimir Putin and tell him that he has to get serious about peace talks, because otherwise this will slam back on Brazil, on India and on China in a massive way,' Rutte said.
Rutte's remarks coincided with US President Donald Trump's warning Russia of significant trade restrictions if Putin does not reach a peace deal with Ukraine within 50 days.
'We're going to be doing very severe tariffs [on Russia] if we don't have a deal in 50 days,' Trump said on Tuesday.
India, China and Brazil, along with Russia, are members of the Brics grouping and Trump has been critical of the bloc for promoting trade in the national currencies of its members.
Earlier this month, Trump threatened Brics member states with 10% additional tariffs on exports to the US.
India has consistently said that dialogue and diplomacy can lead to a solution for the Russia-Ukraine conflict. New Delhi has also said that no solutions can be found on the battlefield, and negotiations cannot succeed under the shadow of the gun.
India also ramped up the purchase of discounted Russian energy in 2022 and Moscow is now one of the top two energy suppliers for New Delhi.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
4 minutes ago
- First Post
Why are Ukrainians protesting against Volodymyr Zelenskyy?
On Tuesday (July 22), thousands of people gathered for anti-government protests across Ukraine. This includes hundreds in the capital Kyiv as well as Lviv and Dnipro. The demonstrations started after Ukraine's parliament passed a bill that gives the president more oversight over two anti-corruption bodies read more Ukrainians protest in the first wartime rally against a newly passed law, which curbs independence of anti-corruption institutions. Reuters Ukraine is up in arms. This time over actions of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This is the first anti-government protests in Ukraine since the start of the war in 2022. But what happened? Why are Ukrainians angry at Zelenskyy? Let's take a closer look: What happened? On Tuesday (July 22), thousands of people gathered for anti-government protests in Ukraine. This includes hundreds in Ukraine's capital of Kyiv, as well as Lviv, and Dnipro. This came after Ukraine's parliament, known as the Rada, passed a bill that gives the president and his inner circle more oversight over its anti-corruption bodies. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The bill gives Ukraine's prosecutor general Ruslan Kravchenko control of two offices – the National Anti-Corruption Bureau ( Nabu) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (Sap). Kravchenko, who is close to Zelenskyy, can now handpick prosecutors and even shut cases. The development comes days after Zelensky reshuffled his war-time Cabinet in what is being viewed as a bid to consolidate power. 'We chose Europe, not autocracy,' one poster read. 'My father did not die for this,' said another. Signs such as 'Veto the law', 'Protect the anti-corruption system, protect Ukraine's future' and 'We are against it' were also seen. But Zelenskyy has refused to back down. The Ukrainian president signed the bill into law on Tuesday. Zelenskyy claimed both agencies would still function and added that they 'needed to be cleared of Russian influence.' Many say the law undermines the independence and authority of these two offices. Reuters He claimed the agencies had been 'lying dormant'. 'There is no rational explanation for why criminal proceedings worth billions have been 'hanging' for years,' he added. He said Kravchenko would ensure 'the inevitability of punishment' for lawbreakers. Ukraine's secret service on Monday held two Nabu officials on suspicion of links to Russia. They also searched other agency employees in allegations unrelated to the matter. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What do critics say? Many say the law undermines the independence and authority of these two offices. Even the agencies themselves came out against it. 'In effect, if this bill becomes law, the head of Sapo will become a nominal figure, while Nabu will lose its independence and turn into a subdivision of the prosecutor general's office,' the agencies said in a joint statement on Telegram before Zelenskyy signed the bill into law. They say this is a backward step for Ukraine, which has been riddled with corruption in the past. Kyiv depends highly on the flow of funds from the West to keep its fight with Russia going. Its allegations of corruption also stand in the way of it joining the European Union. They point out that Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies were set up a decade ago under pressure from the West. This came after Russia's invasion of Crimea in 2014 and was a prerequisite for Ukraine and the West moving closer together. The EU's enlargement commissioner, Marta Kos, called the vote 'a serious step back' for Ukraine. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Independent bodies like NABU & SAPO are essential for Ukraine's EU path. Rule of Law remains in the very center of EU accession negotiations', Kos wrote on X. 'The European Union is concerned about Ukraine's recent actions with regard to its anti-corruption institutions,' added European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a former comedian, came to office vowing 'victory over corruption'. AP 'The EU provides significant financial assistance to Ukraine, conditional on progress in transparency, judicial reform, and democratic governance.' Politicians, activists and diplomats accuse Ukraine's leader of favouring loyalists and using wartime powers against critics. 'Corruption is a problem in any country, and it must always be fought," Ihor Lachenkov, a blogger and activist with 1.5 million followers, told NPR. 'Ukraine has far fewer resources than Russia in this war,' he said. 'If we misuse them, or worse, allow them to end up in the pockets of thieves, our chances of victory diminish. All our resources must go toward the fight.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD After all, Zelenskyy, a former comedian, came to office vowing 'victory over corruption'. 'Those who swore to protect the laws and the Constitution have instead chosen to shield their inner circle, even at the expense of Ukrainian democracy,' said veteran Oleh Symoroz. Symoroz, who lost both legs after being wounded in 2022, is in a wheelchair. 'Instead of setting an example of zero tolerance for corruption, the president is using his power to take control of criminal cases involving his allies,' he added. Ex-Ukraine foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba called the development a 'bad day for Ukraine'. The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International criticised parliament's decision, saying it undermines one of the most significant reforms since what Ukraine calls its Revolution of Dignity in 2014, and damages trust with international partners. The group had urged Zelenskyy to veto the law, warning that otherwise he would share responsibility with the Rada for 'dismantling Ukraine's anti-corruption infrastructure'. But the Ukraine government is unmoved. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Taras Kachka, Ukraine's deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, has claimed that tackling corruption remains a priority. 'All core functions remain intact', he said of the agencies. With inputs from agencies
Business Standard
4 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Crystal Palace takes UEFA to court over Conference League demotion
Crystal Palace has taken its fight with UEFA to the Court of Arbitration for Sport by lodging an appeal against its demotion to the third-tier Conference League next season. The Switzerland-based CAS confirmed Tuesday that the Premier League club had filed an appeal against European soccer's governing body. An expedited process will produce a decision no later than Aug. 11, the court said. Palace secured qualification to the second-tier Europa League by winning the FA Cup last season its first major trophy in 120 years of existence. But UEFA demoted Palace after finding it in breach of multi-club ownership regulations because of its ties to French club Lyon through American businessman John Textor. Textor had a 43% stake in Palace and owns Lyon outright. UEFA rules state that clubs can be barred from its competitions if owners have decisive influence over two teams that have qualified. While Textor only had limited decision-making at Palace, UEFA deemed his involvement with Lyon which qualified for the Europa League breached multi-club ownership rules. Textor has since agreed to sell his Palace stake to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson. CAS said Palace's appeal was also against Nottingham Forest, which was promoted from the Conference League to the Europa League, and Lyon. Palace's appeal asks for either Forest's or Lyon's qualification to the competition be rejected. The multi-club ownership rules are designed to protect soccer from the integrity risks of owners controlling numerous teams. The models are becoming more commonplace, with Manchester City being part of a group of clubs spread across the globe. Palace chairman Steve Parish has described Palace's demotion as a terrible injustice. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mint
4 minutes ago
- Mint
EU Readies €100 Billion No-Deal Plan to Match US 30% Tariff
The European Union plans to quickly hit the US with 30% tariffs on some €100 billion worth of goods in the event of no deal and if US President Donald Trump carries through with his threat to impose that rate on most of the bloc's exports after Aug. 1. As a part of a first wave of countermeasures, the EU would combine an already approved list of tariffs on €21 billion of US goods and a previously proposed list on an additional €72 billion of American products into one package, an European Commission spokesman said on Wednesday. The US exports, which include industrial goods such as Boeing Co. aircraft, US-made cars and bourbon whiskey, would face a levy that matches Trump's 30% threat, according to people familiar with the matter. The tariffs would be prepared to come into force next month but only if there is no deal and the US implements its levies after the August deadline, said the people who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations. The plans come as EU member states, including Germany, have hardened their positions in response to the US stiffening its negotiating stance. Berlin would be willing to even support the activation of the EU's anti-coercion instrument, or ACI, in a no-deal scenario, a government official said on condition of anonymity. This tool would come into play only if a deal fails to materialize. Explainer: All About the EU's Trade Weapon of Last Resort The ACI is the bloc's most potent trade tool and a growing number of member states is pushing for its use if a deal isn't reached. The instrument is primarily designed as a deterrent and is currently not on the table, with its activation requiring a qualified majority of member states to support the move. The ACI would enable the EU to launch a broad range of retaliatory actions, including new taxes on US tech giants, targeted curbs on US investments, and limiting access to the EU market. 'We are now approaching the decisive phase in the tariff dispute with the USA. We need a fair, reliable agreement with low tariffs,' German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told reporters in Berlin on Tuesday after a meeting with his Czech counterpart Petr Fiala. 'Without such an agreement, we risk economic uncertainty at a time when we actually need exactly the opposite.' Still, the overwhelming preference is to keep negotiations with Washington on track in a bid for an outcome to the impasse ahead of next month's deadline. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
