Brazil, India reject U.S. demands to stop buying Russian oil
The United States’ attempt to pressure Brazil and India into cutting back on Russian oil imports by dangling the possibility of lower tariffs has reportedly failed, as both nations have rejected the demands.
The move comes as Washington intensifies economic pressure on Moscow, with U.S. lawmakers recently offering to consider a reduction in tariffs – some as high as 50 percent – on Brazilian goods if the South American country agrees to curb its oil trade with Russia.
Celso Amorim, chief advisor to the president of Brazil, said on Saturday that Brazil is firmly against unilateral economic sanctions imposed on trade partners for their business with other countries. He emphasized that normal economic and trade relations between nations should not be subject to political interference.
In an interview with CNN Brazil on the day, Amorim responded to a U.S. request for Brazil to stop importing Russian oil, saying that Brazil opposes economic sanctions under any circumstances, unless they are authorized by the United Nations Security Council.
He said, Brazil will not accept conditions attached to its energy policy in exchange for a tariff deal with the U.S., and will oppose using economic measures for geopolitical purposes.
The U.S. government on Wednesday announced that it would impose tariffs of up to 50 percent on Brazilian exports. Major Brazilian exports, including coffee and meat, are expected to be significantly impacted.
India to maintain Russian oil imports, sources say
India will keep purchasing oil from Russia despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats of penalties, two Indian government sources told Reuters on Saturday, not wishing to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.
On top of a new 25 percent tariff on India’s exports to the U.S., Trump indicated in a Truth Social post last month that India would face additional penalties for purchases of Russian arms and oil. On Friday, Trump told reporters he had heard that India would no longer be buying oil from Russia.
But the sources said there would be no immediate changes.
“These are long-term oil contracts,” one of the sources said. “It is not so simple to just stop buying overnight.”
Justifying India’s oil purchases from Russia, a second source said India’s imports of Russian grades had helped avoid a global surge in oil prices, which have remained subdued despite Western curbs on the Russian oil sector.
Unlike Iranian and Venezuelan oil, Russian crude is not subject to direct sanctions, and India is buying it below the current price cap fixed by the European Union, the source said.
The New York Times also quoted two unnamed senior Indian officials on Saturday as saying there had been no change in Indian government policy.
Indian government authorities did not respond to Reuters’ request for official comment on its oil purchasing intentions.
However, during a regular press briefing on Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India has a “steady and time-tested partnership” with Russia.
“On our energy sourcing requirements … we look at what is there available in the markets, what is there on offer, and also what is the prevailing global situation or circumstances,” he said.
Trump has threatened 100 percent tariffs on U.S. imports from countries that buy Russian oil unless Moscow reaches a major peace deal with Ukraine.
Russia is the leading supplier to India, the world’s third-largest oil importer and consumer, accounting for about 35 percent of its overall supplies.
India imported about 1.75 million barrels per day of Russian oil from January to June this year, up 1 percent from a year ago, according to data provided to Reuters by sources.
But while the Indian government may not be deterred by Trump’s threats, sources told Reuters this week that Indian state refiners stopped buying Russian oil after July discounts narrowed to their lowest since 2022 – when sanctions were first imposed on Moscow – due to lower Russian exports and steady demand.
