Russia’s Lavrov visits India amid US criticism, flurry of Western diplomacy over New Delhi’s Ukraine stance
- Sergey Lavrov’s trip comes as India’s fellow Quad members increasingly uncomfortable with its refusal to condemn Russia’s Ukraine invasion
- Lavrov will meet PM Narendra Modi on Friday as US cautions against ‘a rapid acceleration’ of imports from Russia related to energy or other items under sanctions
A statement by Britain’s High Commission in India said British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss would press New Delhi for tougher action on Russia in her meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
US deputy national security adviser for international economics Daleep Singh, who arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday, was also holding talks with his counterparts there, as was the Dutch National Security Adviser.
In Washington, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said that while she had not seen details of Lavrov’s trip, the arrangement was “deeply disappointing”.
“Now is the time to stand on the right side of history, and to stand with the United States and dozens of other countries, standing up for freedom, democracy and sovereignty with the Ukrainian people, and not funding and fuelling and aiding President Putin’s war,” she said on Wednesday.
Her comments came amid reports that New Delhi was considering a proposal from Russia to use an alternative to the Swift financial messaging that heavily-sanctioned Moscow is banned from. It will allow for rupee-rouble-denominated payments so India can continue buying Russian oil and arms.
Bloomberg, quoting unnamed people with knowledge of the matter, said Russia was offering steep discounts on the direct sale of oil as international pressure forced its usual customers to stay away from purchases.