WASHINGTON: Pakistan continues to remain in the good graces of US President Donald Trump, even as he directed critical remarks toward India over its energy dealings with Moscow.
During a press briefing at the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil, calling it “unhelpful” at a time when the United States is seeking to isolate Moscow economically.
However, the US president noted that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “reassured” him that India would halt such imports. Describing the commitment as a “big step,” Trump said the move would strengthen international efforts to curb Russia’s revenue streams amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
“I was not happy that India was buying oil,” Trump told reporters. “But Prime Minister Modi assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That’s a big step—and an easy one compared to what we did in the Middle East over the past few weeks.”
He was referring to the recent Gaza ceasefire and the subsequent peace summit, which, according to Trump, represented a major diplomatic breakthrough with several regional stakeholders endorsing his proposal for a lasting peace plan.
Trump added that he now expected China to follow suit by reducing its dependence on Russian energy. “Now we’re going to get China to do the same thing,” he said, emphasizing that isolating Moscow economically remained a top US foreign policy priority.
In the same interaction, the president revisited the subject of South Asia, highlighting his rapport with Pakistan’s leadership. He praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his “gracious words” and once again referenced the 2025 border crisis between Pakistan and India.
“The prime minister of Pakistan got up the other day and said so beautifully, ‘You saved millions of lives,’” Trump said. “I think he was referring to what could have been a nuclear war with India. It was getting very close—and you know, seven aircraft were shot down.”
Trump’s comments underscored both his continuing warmth toward Islamabad and his willingness to publicly press New Delhi on issues that challenge Washington’s strategic objectives.
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