Frustrated with the Kremlin for deflating his high spirits just a week after he declared an end to the “long and painful nightmare” of the Israel-Palestine conflict, Trump imposed new sanctions on Moscow, targeting its two largest oil companies—Rosneft and Lukoil—which together account for more than 5% of global oil output.
Incidentally, Rosneft also owns a 49% stake in Nayara Energy that owns and operates the Vadinar refinery in Gujarat.
Also Read |
Mideast deal done? Trump takes a victory lap as Gaza peace hangs by a thread.
“I just felt it was time. We waited a long time,” he said, hoping the curbs would aid his efforts to broker peace in the three-and-a-half-year-long Russian invasion. He had, so far, refused to impose restrictions on Moscow until Europe reduced its dependence on Russian oil.
But how did he—and his grand mediation plans—end up in spectacular disarray by the end of a week that had begun so promisingly for the self-proclaimed (peace) “deal maker”?
His meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday holds the clue.
The Ukrainian President arrived for the meeting nattily dressed in a sharp black suit—since, apparently, suits carry more weight than intent in diplomatic talks—determined to persuade the “businessman” to arm Kyiv with long-range Tomahawk missiles capable of striking deep inside Russian territory.
However, the meeting turned acrimonious yet again, as he was instead asked to concede territory to Moscow to end the war.
On Tuesday, following a “productive” call between US secretary of state Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the White House said the Budapest meeting was on hold.
Forty-eight hours later, Russian oil giants were hit by sanctions.
Bottom line: Zelensky should’ve worn a better suit—and perhaps asked Trump for tips.
Meanwhile, India, one of the biggest buyers of discounted Russian oil, finds itself caught between a rock and a hard place.
If it continues to buy oil from Moscow, it risks facing secondary sanctions. Trump has already slapped an additional 25% tariffs on New Delhi for buying Russian energy, taking the total levy to 50%. The two nations are negotiating a bilateral trade deal.
If it stops, its oil import bill will likely rise by about $2.7 billion or roughly 2%. Whether state-run oil companies pass on the hike to consumers will be a question for the Narendra Modi government.
Also Read |
From Takaichi’s ascent to the Taliban’s India visit—the power plays of the week
Trump has said Modi assured him that the country would reduce its oil buys from Russia—a deeply contested claim clouding New Delhi-Washington ties. Following the US announcement, news reports have also claimed Indian and Chinese oil companies will halt purchases.
In the past, India has asserted it will comply with only UN curbs. But in the Trumpian world, it has little room to manoeuvre.
Last week, Russian ambassador to India Denis Alipov politely reminded New Delhi that Russian oil remained its most cost-effective option and that ties with Moscow were in line with its national interests. He also recalled decades of trusted collaboration in defence and civil nuclear energy.
Besides, Putin is scheduled to visit the country in December.
Guess who else visited the White House and had a rewarding meeting? Australian Prime Minister Antony Albanese. Trump was effusive with his welcome remarks—he said he loved Australians “a lot“.
But then Australia has something that the US badly wants—rare earth or critical minerals.
Washington’s hunt for rare-earth minerals—used to manufacture anything from EV batteries to wind turbines, semiconductor chips, missiles, radar and jet fighters—has acquired an urgency after China announced stricter controls on their exports.
Australia, being one of the few countries that mines and processes these critical minerals, is an invaluable ally in Trump’s eyes.
Ironically, Albanese had to wait months for this meeting. But it seems to have been worth it: Trump did not demand that Australia increase its defence spending and take care of its own security; he also signalled support for the $239.46 billion AUKUS pact, reached in 2023, under which Australia is to buy US nuclear-powered submarines. This was a major agenda point for Albanese, given that the Trump administration had previously announced a review of the deal, citing its own security needs.
Also Read |
The Gaza peace plan is here: Will Donald Trump finally get his Nobel?
However, one person who didn’t escape Trump’s ire, despite being Australian, was Kevin Rudd, Australia’s ambassador to Washington.
“I don’t like you either. I don’t. And I probably never will,” Trump told Rudd curtly after a reporter pointed out that Rudd previously had criticized him. Rudd’s explanation that his remark about Trump being the “most destructive president in history” was made before he took up his post in Washington clearly didn’t mollify Trump. Still, he gets to keep his job (at least for now) as Albanese defended Rudd after the White House meeting.
Last week, this column had spotlighted Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions over Islamabad’s view that Kabul hasn’t curbed activities of the Pakistani Taliban group or the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The clashes earlier this month were the worst between the once “brotherly” neighbours since 2021.
A peace was brokered by Qatar and Turkey (no surprises there!).
Pakistan has said the ceasefire’s success hinges on the Afghan Taliban preventing the TTP from using Afghan soil for attacks. Defence minister Khawaja Asif said the agreement, signed by Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Qatar, explicitly prohibits cross-border incursions.
But in what could be taken as an open threat (or is it a taunt?) to Pakistan and its top military officer, Field Marshal Asim Munir, the TTP posted a series of videos stating that the Pakistani Army should avoid sending soldiers to get killed and instead, top officers should lead the fight. The videos included footage of an 8 October ambush in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in which the TTP said 22 Pakistani soldiers were killed.
In one of the clips, a senior TTP figure identified as commander Kazim is reportedly heard saying: “Face us if you are a man.” Pakistani authorities have promised a reward of 100 crore Pakistani rupees for any information leading to his capture.
One therefore wonders how long the truce will realistically last.
Elizabeth Roche is an associate professor at O.P. Jindal Global University, Haryana.
