Moscow: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has criticised US pressure tactics on trade and energy, saying countries like India and China will not yield to ultimatums.
Speaking on Channel 1’s The Great Game, Lavrov said Washington’s demands for India and China to stop buying Russian oil are backfiring. “It forces them to look for new markets, new resources, and to pay more,” he explained.
Over recent weeks, US President Donald Trump and his officials have accused India of funding the Ukraine war through oil purchases. New Delhi has firmly rejected the charge, insisting its energy imports follow national interest and market needs.
Lavrov warned the US that “ancient civilisations like China and India” will not accept language based on threats or tariffs. He added that sanctions have long failed to produce results. “During Trump’s first term, we faced unprecedented sanctions. Under Biden, sanctions became a substitute for diplomacy,” he said.
India has called US actions “unfair and unjustified.” Meanwhile, Trump has not yet placed tariffs on China for buying Russian oil but continues to push for them. Lavrov said Russia has already adapted to Western sanctions and sees no serious problem ahead.
