'India, China helping fund Russia's war in Ukraine': US Ambassador to Nato

US Ambassador to Nato Matthew Whitaker said Russia's war in Ukraine is funded by oil sales to India, China, and Brazil, and calls for more global sanctions to pressure Moscow

Moscow is financing its war in Ukraine through oil exports to countries such as India, China, and Brazil, according to US Ambassador to Nato Matthew Whitaker. Speaking to Fox News on Tuesday (local time), Whitaker urged fresh sanctions and tariffs to cut off this revenue stream. 

Whitaker argued that Russia’s economy is showing cracks, but oil sales remain its key financial lifeline. He stressed that new measures must be imposed jointly by the European Union and allied nations to send a clear message against Moscow’s actions.

“The government’s [Russia’s] funds coming in every month are diminishing, and there are cracks appearing in the Russian economy. The money that’s paying for this war is coming from the sale of Russian oil to countries including India, China, and Brazil,” he said. 

 

Whitaker said that he thought the next stage involved applying additional sanctions and tariffs to continue increasing the cost of doing business for Vladimir Putin and reducing his revenue. “This must be done in coordination with the European Union — it has to be the whole free world saying: this is not acceptable. The death and destruction we’re seeing need to end. We need to continue increasing the pressure on Vladimir Putin to stop the war,” he said.     

 

Push for negotiated settlement

While advocating more pressure on Russia, Whitaker also pointed to the need for talks between Moscow and Kyiv. He said Ukraine has already shown readiness to accept a deal if it comes with strong security guarantees. 

“Both sides will have to agree, but Ukraine has demonstrated they are willing to make a deal — they're willing to freeze the front line if they receive the necessary guarantees. Now, we need to make sure that the deal actually takes shape,” he said.

 

India pushes back against allegations

The US has repeatedly accused India of benefiting from discounted Russian crude. However, New Delhi has defended its position, noting that Europe and China are far larger buyers of Russian energy. 

Despite a recent softening in Washington’s tone towards India, tensions remain. The US has imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian imports, with an extra 25 per cent penalty tied to India’s Russian oil purchases. 

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has dismissed these measures as unfair. “Targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable,” it said, adding that the country, like any major economy, will act to protect its national interests. 

The MEA further noted that Washington itself maintains imports from Russia, including uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for electric vehicles, and fertilisers and chemicals. New Delhi has argued that its oil purchases are relatively small compared to the West’s continued trade with Moscow.     

 

Europe’s trade with Russia overshadows India’s

India has also highlighted the scale of Europe-Russia trade. The MEA pointed out that the EU’s trade in goods with Russia was worth €67.5 billion in 2024, while trade in services stood at €17.2 billion in 2023 — much higher than India’s trade with Moscow.

European imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) reached a record 16.5 million tonnes in 2024, surpassing previous highs. The trade extended beyond energy, including fertilisers, chemicals, iron and steel, machinery, and transport equipment.

 

[With agency inputs]