US Accuses Europe of Funding Russia War Through India Trade Deal
The United States has leveled sharp criticism against the European Union's newly concluded free trade agreement with India, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accusing Brussels of indirectly financing Russia's war effort in Ukraine through energy trade loopholes.Speaking to ABC News on Sunday, Bessent argued that while Europe has curtailed direct energy imports from Russia, it continues purchasing refined petroleum products derived from Russian crude oil processed in Indian refineries. This arrangement, he contended, effectively circumvents Western sanctions designed to reduce Moscow's energy revenues."The Russian oil goes into India, the refined products come out, and the Europeans buy the refined products. They are financing the war against themselves," Bessent stated, highlighting what Washington views as a fundamental contradiction in European policy.The criticism emerges as India and the EU finalized negotiations on their comprehensive free trade agreement, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen describing the pact as the "mother of all trade deals." Von der Leyen attended India's Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi as chief guest, underscoring the strategic importance both sides place on deepening economic ties.The Trump administration has responded to India's continued Russian oil purchases with punitive measures, imposing tariffs of up to 50 percent on Indian goods. "We have put 25 percent tariffs on India for buying Russian oil. Guess what happened last week? The Europeans signed a trade deal with India," Bessent remarked.This transatlantic tension reflects broader disagreements over how to effectively pressure Russia economically while managing global energy markets. The EU-India agreement, negotiations for which began in 2007, aims to strengthen economic cooperation amid increasing global trade disruptions, partly attributed to evolving US tariff policies.Bessent emphasized that the United States has made greater economic sacrifices than its European partners in efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, suggesting that under President Trump's leadership, Washington would "eventually end" the war.The dispute highlights the complex challenge of maintaining unified Western sanctions while managing diverse economic interests and energy security concerns across the Atlantic alliance.
