\u2018The US itself still buys nuclear fuel from us for its own nuclear power plants,\u2019 the Russian president told \u2018India Today\u2019 in an interview.<\/b>
\nRussian President Vladimir Putin has said that the partnership between India and Russia is not directed against any country and is based solely on safeguarding the national interests of both sides, India Today reported.
In an interview with the news channel released on Thursday, shortly before he arrived in New Delhi for a two-day summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Putin was asked about mounting United States pressure on both countries and the recent tariff measures introduced by President Donald Trump.
The Russian president maintained that \u201cneither me nor Prime Minister Modi, despite certain external pressure we face, have ever\u2026approached our collaboration to work against someone\u201d.
Putin said that Trump \u201chas his own agenda, his own goals, whereas we focus on ours \u2013 not against anyone, but rather aimed at safeguarding our respective interests, India\u2019s and Russia\u2019s interests\u201d.
Referring to Western sanctions on Moscow and US penalties on Indian imports of Russian crude amid the war in Ukraine, Putin said \u201ccertain actors clearly dislike India\u2019s growing role in international markets\u201d because of its close ties with Russia and were trying to limit New Delhi\u2019s influence by creating \u201cartificial obstacles\u201d.
He maintained that energy cooperation between India and Russia remained unaffected by \u201cfleeting political swings\u201d or by the war in Ukraine.
He also highlighted that \u201cthe US itself still buys nuclear fuel from us for its own nuclear power plants\u201d.
Addressing the reduction in India\u2019s crude purchases from Russia earlier in the year, Putin said the decline was a \u201cminor adjustment\u201d and that overall trade levels remained \u201calmost\u201d the same as before.
On the Ukraine conflict, Putin said he believed the US was actively seeking a solution, saying he was certain that Trump \u201csincerely aims for a peaceful resolution\u201d, while acknowledging that political or economic motives might also be involved.
Putin arrived in New Delhi on Thursday evening, where he was received by Modi before the two leaders held a private dinner. Formal talks are scheduled for Friday.
The US and its European allies have imposed a series of sanctions on Russian businesses, especially oil exporters, since the Ukraine war began in February 2022. In October, Washington announced new measures targeting major energy firms Rosneft and Lukoil.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that purchases of Russian oil, including by India, are helping fund Moscow\u2019s war. In August, his administration doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50% in response to New Delhi\u2019s continued imports of Russian crude. India called the move \u201cextremely unfortunate\u201d.
On November 10, Trump said the tariffs would be reduced \u201cat some point\u201d and claimed India had cut its Russian oil purchases.
On November 20, Reliance Industries halted imports of Russian oil to its Jamnagar refinery in Gujarat. The conglomerate which is India\u2019s largest fuel exporter used to account for roughly half of the country\u2019s total imports from Russia.<\/p>\n