'Morally inappropriate': Ukraine foreign minister on India-Russia oil deal
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Tuesday slammed India for importing Russian oil at discounted rates amid the war, calling it "morally inappropriate." In an interview with NDTV, he has also criticized his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar's statements on Monday that the European Union (EU) bought more fossil fuel from Moscow than the next 10 countries combined between February and November this year.
Why does this story matter?
Following the Russia-Ukraine crisis, the United States and numerous European nations have been urging India not to buy Russian oil since it violates the sanctions imposed on Moscow. It was a plea for India to take sides in the conflict, despite the country's non-alignment policy. In the midst of soaring crude oil prices, Russia has been giving India substantial discounts.
What Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said
"The opportunity for India to buy Russian oil at a cheap price comes from the fact that Ukrainians are suffering from Russian aggression and dying every day," Kuleba told NDTV in the interview. He contended that the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine must be taken into account by India while making the decision to acquire cheap Russian oil.
'Not enough to point fingers at European Union'
"It is not enough to point fingers at the European Union and say, 'Oh, they are doing the same thing,'" the Ukrainian foreign minister said, adding that India's primary reason behind the deal is only to save money and solve its economic problems.
Watch: Excerpts of Kuleba's interview
PM Modi's role important in ending war, says Kuleba
Kuleba further said Ukraine was waiting to see "when Indian foreign policy will call a spade a spade." He also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a key role to play in helping to end the war. "India is a very important player in the global arena, and the prime minister of India, with his voice, can make a change," he said.
Biggest Indian oil company's deal with Russian firm
In March, the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), India's biggest oil company, reached an agreement with a Russian company to buy three million barrels of crude oil at steeply discounted prices. It signed the contract on modified terms, which necessitates the supplier to deliver it to the Indian coast to prevent any complications in shipping and insurance caused by sanctions by the US and others.
Jaishankar had justified buying oil from Russia
Last month, after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, Jaishankar spoke about India's oil imports from Russia. He justified purchasing oil from Moscow and said, "As the third-largest consumer of oil and gas and where incomes are not very high, we need to look for affordable sources, so the India-Russia relationship works to our advantage." "We will keep it going," Jaishankar added.
