Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday warned the United States against pressuring India to stop buying Russian oil, saying New Delhi would never allow itself to be humiliated in front of anyone. Speaking at the Valdai Discussion Group in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, Putin said, “…the people of a country like India will closely monitor decisions made by the political leadership and will never allow any humiliation in front of anyone… I know PM Modi; he himself would never take any steps of this kind”, Reuters reported. Putin said, “If India refuses our energy supplies, it will suffer a certain loss.” His remarks came after US President Donald Trump urged Europe, India, and China to stop purchasing Russian oil in a bid to cut Moscow’s funding for its war in Ukraine. The Russian leader warned that a cut in Russian energy supplies would hit the global economy hard, pushing oil prices above $100 per barrel. He stressed the importance of resolving trade and payment issues with New Delhi, noting that the matter could be addressed within Brics or through other channels. Commenting on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Putin said, “All Nato countries are fighting us, and they’re no longer hiding it. Unfortunately, there are instructors (in Ukraine), and they’re actually taking part in combat operations. A centre was created specifically in Europe, and it essentially supports everything the Ukrainian armed forces do. It feeds information, transmits intelligence from space, and supplies weapons and gives training.” Blaming Europe for the continuation of the war, Putin added that Russia was grateful to Brics and Arab nations for their peace efforts, as well as to its allies North Korea and Belarus.Putin’s remarks came during a wide-ranging address where he also commented on Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, the supply of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, and the volatility in global energy markets.
