Top Trump aide Scott Bessent says Europe financing ‘war’ against itself by buying oil products from India
On a day European leaders concluded trade deal negotiations in New Delhi, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent took a swipe at the economic and political bloc’s purchase of oil products from India.
Bessent told ABC News on Sunday that Europe was financing a “war” against itself by purchasing refined Russian oil products from India.
His comments came close on the heels of his reasoning behind European Union (EU) not imposing tariffs on India. The Trump aide said this was because it wanted to secure a “big trade deal” with New Delhi.
What is the status of India-EU trade deal
Just a few days ago, European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen had described the upcoming trade agreement as “mother of all deals”. She and European Council President Antonio Costa were the chief guests for India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations.
While Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal on Sunday said that negotiations had concluded between India and Europe, the legal scrubbing of the free-trade agreement (FTA) text is underway. The endeavour will be to complete the processes and sign the pact at an early date, he said.
Thus, while the deal is expected to be signed this year, and it may come into effect early next year.
Bessent says US sacrificed more than Europeans
Lauding US President Donald Trump for his efforts to settle the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Bessent said the US has made much bigger sacrifices than the Europeans. Exuding confidence in the Trump administration, Bessent said, “we will eventually end” the Russia-Ukraine war, which has now entered its fourth year.
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‘Financing war against themselves’
“We have put 25 per cent tariffs on India for buying Russian oil. Guess what happened last week? The Europeans signed a trade deal with India,” Bessent told ABC News Sunday.
Bessent said: “And just to be clear again, 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.”
Trump’s tariff troubles
US-India ties came under a strain after the Trump administration imposed 25 per cent tariffs on India for buying Russian oil, atop the 25 per cent reciprocal import levies.
Since taking over the US administration in January last year, the Republican President has been imposing a slew of restrictions and tariffs on different nations, leading to a disruption in global trade. A cessation of conflicts in Russia-Ukraine and in the Middle East was one of the key poll promises made by the second-time American President.
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On Sunday, Trump extended greetings and hailed the “historic bond” between Washington and New Delhi.
