White House Claims India 'Scaling Back' Russian Oil Purchases at Trump's Request

PTI, WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 24, 2025 :  The White House has stated that India has started "scaling back" its oil purchases from Russia at the "request" of US President Donald Trump. During a press briefing on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt referred to the recent US sanctions on Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil, which were imposed on Wednesday as part of efforts to cut off key revenue streams for Moscow amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Leavitt said, "If you see and read the sanctions on Russia, they are pretty hefty," noting that they are part of a broader strategy aimed at pressuring Russia. She also mentioned that, based on international news reports, China was reducing its oil purchases from Russia, and claimed that India had similarly scaled back its Russian oil imports "at the request of the President."

The White House’s claims come as part of a larger US effort to urge its European allies to reduce their Russian oil imports, calling it a “full-court press” against Moscow’s war-financing channels. The US administration has been asserting that India has promised to significantly reduce its oil imports from Russia. However, India has consistently maintained that its energy policy is determined by its own national interests, particularly in ensuring affordable and secure energy supplies for its consumers.

This issue has been a point of tension between Washington and New Delhi. The US has criticized India for purchasing Russian oil, suggesting that these transactions help Russian President Vladimir Putin finance his military actions in Ukraine. Meanwhile, relations between India and the US have been strained, especially after former President Trump imposed high tariffs on Indian goods, including a 25% additional duty on India's purchase of Russian crude. India condemned these tariffs as "unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable."

Leavitt further commented that President Trump had “long signaled” he would act against Russia “when he felt it was appropriate and necessary,” and that the recent sanctions were part of that approach. She also mentioned that Trump had "expressed his frustration" with Putin, accusing him of showing "not enough interest or action" in working toward a peace settlement in Ukraine.

A planned meeting between Trump and Putin in Hungary later this year has been postponed indefinitely, though Leavitt emphasized that the meeting "is not completely off the table" and could happen in the future.