Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Biden urges Modi not to promote India’s use of Russian oil

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden request Narendra Modi of India on Monday, do not accelerate Russian oil purchases as the US and other countries try to cut Moscow’s energy income after Invasion of Ukraine. The Prime Minister of India made no public commitment to contain Russian oil, a source of tension with the US

Meeting by video call, Biden told Modi that the US could help India diversify its energy sources, according to press secretary Jen Psaki. Although India receives little oil from Russia, it has recently increased its purchases in large quantities as other democracies are trying to isolate Russian President Putin.

“The president also made it clear that he does not believe that India wants to accelerate or increase imports of Russian energy or other goods in India’s interest,” Psaki said.

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At a separate State Department press conference with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar pointed out that Europe, not India, is at the heart of Washington’s concerns about energy purchases. from Russia.

“I suspect, looking at the numbers, perhaps our total purchases for the month will be less than what Europe did in an afternoon,” he said.

While Biden and Modi ended the session with Biden saying they were committed to strengthening the relationship, White House officials could not say whether India would side with them in outright condemnation of Putin, saying that the final choice belongs to the government of Modi. The two leaders will meet in person on May 24 in Tokyo for the summit of the Quad, an alliance that includes Australia and Japan.

At the State Department press conference, Blinken appeared to seek to call on India to take a stronger stance on the conflict in Ukraine, calling for the country’s interest in maintaining the international rules-based order. and showed that already stressed Indians can be affected by both energy and food shortages due to war.

“Russia’s aggression is in stark contrast to the shared vision of the United States and India of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and Russia’s actions are having a profound impact on the world. only in Europe and Ukraine, but worldwide, for example. Blinken told reporters after the meeting ended.

India’s neutral stance in the war has raised concerns in Washington and earned praise from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who praised India this month for assessing “the whole situation rather than the whole situation.” not just one-way”.

Modi on Monday called the situation in Ukraine “very worrying” and he noted that an Indian student had lost his life during the war. He said he had spoken with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling for both peace. India has condemned The murders uncovered in the city of Bucha and has called for an independent investigation.

Also on Monday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh face to face.

Austin called on India to act alongside other democracies, a form of government based on the popular consent of the people, as opposed to autocracies such as China and Russia.

“More than ever, democracies must stand together to defend the values ​​we all share,” Austin said.

India has rejected several attempts to hold Russia accountable for its invasion. India abstained when the United Nations General Assembly voted on Thursday to suspend Russia from its seat on the 47-member Human Rights Council over allegations that Russian troops in Ukraine violate human rights that the United States and Ukraine have committed. called war crimes.

The number of votes was 93-24 with 58 abstentions.

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