Lagatar24 Desk
New York: NATO chief Mark Rutte claimed that US President Donald Trump’s recent tariffs on India are indirectly pressuring Russia in the Ukraine war, even prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to question Vladimir Putin about Moscow’s strategy. Speaking on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Rutte argued that Trump’s economic measures were shaking the Kremlin and straining Putin’s position.
Tariffs and Delhi-Moscow Communication
Rutte suggested that the 50% US tariff on Indian goods has created new dynamics. “Delhi is now on the phone with Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Narendra Modi is asking—could you explain to me this strategy? Because I have now been hit by these 50% tariffs by the United States,” Rutte said in a CNN interview. He insisted that while NATO remained dissatisfied with the lack of a ceasefire, Trump’s pressure tactics were yielding consequences.
Trump’s Rhetoric and Russia’s Reaction
Addressing the UN, Trump accused India and China of financing Russia’s war through continued oil purchases, calling them the “primary funders” of the conflict. He also urged European allies to halt all energy imports from Moscow. Moscow quickly pushed back—Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected Trump’s “paper tiger” jibe, instead describing Russia as a bear with stable fundamentals.
Rutte on Russia’s Losses and Ukraine’s Role
Rutte emphasized that Putin’s forces are suffering heavy setbacks. “He’s lost 1 million people now or seriously wounded. He is losing in one month what the Soviets lost in 10 years in Afghanistan,” Rutte claimed. He noted Ukraine’s successful strikes on Russian oil refineries that have led to long queues at gas stations inside Russia. However, he stressed that only Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky could decide on territorial concessions or compromises to end the war.
Global Implications of Tariffs and War
Trump’s tariff escalation on India—imposed on August 27—has added another layer of geopolitical tension, linking economic penalties with global security concerns. While Washington argues that cutting India’s and China’s oil imports from Russia would weaken Moscow, New Delhi has defended its purchases as necessary for energy security. NATO leaders, meanwhile, are framing these tariffs as part of a larger strategy to bring Putin to the negotiating table.
