Putin-Trump meeting in Alaska: Recently, a sensational statement has come to light in American politics. Senator Lindsey Graham claimed that the threat of a 50 percent tariff on India was behind the US and Russian summit held in Alaska. According to Graham, this meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump was completely part of the strategy regarding India and Russia’s oil business.
Graham said, “Putin came to Alaska only because Trump had threatened to impose a 50 percent duty on India. If we give the customers of Russian oil the option of keeping the US economy and cheap Russian oil, they will give priority to the US economy.”
Trump’s pressure on India
In fact, US President Donald Trump has already imposed a tariff of 25 + 25 percent, i.e., a total of 50 percent, on India. Along with this, the US had also warned India of a penalty for buying oil from Russia. Trump’s statement came while terming the economies of India and Russia as “dead,” and he said that India is helping Russia in the Ukraine war.
Graham had earlier said in his critical comments, “I would like to warn China, India, and Brazil that if you continue to buy cheap Russian oil, your economy will be destroyed. This is blood money. You are buying cheap oil at the expense of the world, and Trump is tired of this game.”
Putin and Modi talk
After the summit between the US and Russia, Russian President Putin spoke to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone. He informed PM Modi about the talks with Trump in Alaska and discussed a long-term solution to the Ukraine war.
This was the second conversation between PM Modi and President Putin in the last 10 days. During this, Modi made it clear to Putin that India supports all efforts for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict.
Result of the Alaska summit
Putin and Trump’s Alaska meeting lasted for about three hours on Friday, but it did not conclude with any ceasefire agreement. At the same time, Modi and Putin’s talks took place a few hours before President Trump’s important meeting with European leaders and Ukrainian President Zelensky at the White House.
Experts believe that this meeting in Alaska can have a deep impact not only on Russia-US relations but also on India’s oil imports and global energy politics.