NATO Chief Says Trump’s Tariffs On India Having Big Impact On Russia

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has said that US President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on India for buying Russian oil are creating serious problems for Moscow. Speaking to CNN during the UN General Assembly in New York, Rutte claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now pressing Russian President Vladimir Putin to explain his approach to the war in Ukraine after Washington’s move.

“This tariff directly affects Russia,” Rutte said. “It means Delhi is calling Moscow, and Modi is asking Putin, ‘I support you, but explain your strategy because the US has just hit me with 50 per cent tariffs.”

So far, there has been no official response from either New Delhi or Moscow on these remarks.

Last month, President Trump announced a 25 per cent reciprocal tariff on Indian goods, plus another 25 per cent penalty for continuing to buy Russian oil. Since returning to office in January, he has introduced similar trade measures on several countries, accusing India of indirectly supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine through its oil imports.