Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov has reiterated India’s stance and said that New Delhi purchases Russian oil for its own energy security, not to help Moscow fund the Ukraine war.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, who was in Kyiv for an official visit on Friday, said curtailing India’s purchase of Russian oil will not stop the war in Ukraine, pushing back on the Western position that cutting Moscow’s economic lifeline would force it to abandon the conflict. It is buying oil for itself and its own national development, keeping in mind the well-being and welfare of its own people”. Along with targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, the bill mandates severe direct sanctions on top military generals, state-owned banks and energy projects. Addressing the media, the minister stressed that the conflict, which is in its fifth year, could only be resolved by dialogue, diplomacy, and negotiation.
Because somebody is buying or not buying oil or alumina or minerals or metals or fertiliser, “This conflict, which is today in its fifth year, will not be solved. The United States is considering legislation, such as the proposed Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, that grants the president discretionary authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on imports from the five largest buyers of Russian crude oil or natural gas. The minister highlighted the challenges of ensuring energy security for India’s 1.4 billion people and said both Ukraine’s and India’s perspectives on the issue should be respected.
In an interview with DD News, Alipov said, “India does not buy Russian oil for the sake of helping Russia. This conflict will be solved by dialogue, diplomacy, and negotiation,” Jaishankar said after he met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
