In a world exclusive interview with India Today, Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses critical geopolitical issues, including the Ukraine war and relations with the US under Donald Trump. Defending India’s purchase of Russian oil, Putin argues, "If the US has the right to buy our fuel, why shouldn't India have the same privilege?" citing American imports of Russian nuclear fuel. He reveals details of a grueling five-hour meeting with Trump’s envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, admitting, "Frankly, even I grew weary of it." Putin expresses confidence that Trump "sincerely aims for a peaceful resolution" to the Ukraine conflict, though he notes the complexity of the peace proposal. The President also discusses US tariffs, stating Trump acts in "good faith" for the US economy, and mentions letters from American companies eager to resume business in Russia.
00:00President sir, with regard to Mr. Donald Trump, my second question is also about him, because recently he also went on to say that if you're buying oil from Russia, you're the one about India, you're the one who's funding the Russia-Ukraine war.
00:15How would you characterize Mr. Donald Trump, the President of the United States of America?
00:24You know, I never give character assessments about my colleagues.
00:30Neither those I've worked with in the past, nor current leaders of individual states.
00:36These assessments should be made by citizens who vote for their leader during elections.
00:42As for India's purchases or purchase of energy resources from Russia, well, I would like to note, and have already mentioned this publicly once,
00:53The United States itself still buys nuclear fuel from us for its own nuclear power plants.
01:00That is also fuel, uranium for the reactors operating in the United States.
01:06If the US has the right to buy our fuel, why shouldn't India have the same privilege?
01:16This question deserves thorough examination, and we stand ready to discuss it, including with President Trump.
01:24But you're being very kind, you're saying you do not characterize Trump, but he certainly does.
01:31Do you?
01:32Having said that, he has weaponized tariffs, and he's weaponized it against India.
01:38Right now you're engaged, but it's a blow-hot, blow-cold for India.
01:41How do you think the two countries should be handling Donald Trump and the US administration?
01:54You know, he pursues his own policy, and he has advisors.
01:59His decisions aren't made out of thin air.
02:03He has advisors who believe that implementing such tariff policies involving the imposition
02:09of additional duties on trade partners ultimately benefits the US economy.
02:15He is acting in good faith, I presume.
02:19Our experts believe there are risks involved, but it is the choice of each country and its leadership
02:26to decide which economic policy to adopt.
02:31We have never engaged in such practices.
02:35do not do so now, and have no intention of doing so in the future.
02:42Our economy is open.
02:44We hope that, in the end, all violations of World Trade Organization regulations
02:50will be rectified.
02:52Right.
02:53President Sir, things have changed a little between US and Russia.
02:57The fact that America is engaging you.
02:59We would have loved to be a fly on the wall when you were meeting with Jared Kushner and Steve
03:04Witkopf.
03:05That was an important meeting.
03:06Were there red lines that Russia reiterated?
03:09What really happened?
03:13It's premature to discuss that now.
03:16I doubt it would interest you to hear about it as it lasted five hours.
03:21Frankly, even I grew wary of it.
03:24Five hours is too much.
03:28Mr. Witkopf and Mr. Kushner?
03:30Mr.
03:31Mr.
03:32Mr.
03:33Mr.
03:34Mr.
03:35Mr.
03:36Mr.
03:59Mr.
04:00Mr.
04:01Mr.
04:02Mr.
04:03Mr.
04:04Mr.
04:05Mr.
04:06But we haven't seen it yet, and so we had to go to every point, so it took a lot of time.
04:15So it was necessary to talk, absolutely concrete circumstances.
04:23Can I ask this question to Suisa?
04:26Was there a certain specific point where you disagreed? Was there a specific point of disagreement where there was one who was just not going forward?
04:38Yes, such issues were raised, we discussed them.
04:42But this is a complex task and a challenging mission that President Trump took upon himself.
04:49Fair enough, I say without irony, because achieving consensus among conflicting parties is no easy task.
05:00But President Trump, truly, I believe, he sincerely tries to do this.
05:06We went through each point again, let me reiterate this.
05:10Sometimes we said, yes, we can discuss this, but with that one we cannot agree.
05:17That was how the work proceeded.
05:21To say now what exactly doesn't suit us, or where we could possibly agree, seems premature,
05:28since it might disrupt the very mode of operation that President Trump is trying to establish.
05:35But that's what they do, shuttle diplomacy.
05:40They spoke with Ukrainian representatives, then with Europeans, came here, had another meeting with Ukrainians and Europeans.
05:49I think we should engage in this effort rather than obstruct it.
05:59So you're saying the 28-point peace proposal is now not on the table, but there were leaked conversations?
06:06It is?
06:07It is on the table.
06:08It is.
06:09It is.
06:10We will go back to that and try and understand how it's going forward, sir.
06:23But what happened in Alaska?
06:27You met President Trump and it was all about the peace deal, right?
06:32What happened?
06:33Did anything come out of it?
06:34Did you actually see a clear and sincere intent?
06:41Yes, there was indeed a sense.
06:43No, more than just a sense.
06:46I have absolutely no doubt that President Trump had genuine intentions.
06:53We won't discuss here what caused them or why they appeared, but they are definitely present.
06:59Both the United States and President Trump likely have their own understanding of why this needs to be resolved quickly.
07:06Moreover, by the way, on humanitarian grounds too.
07:11I truly believe that is one of the motives behind President Trump's actions regarding this matter,
07:17because he constantly speaks about his wish to minimize losses.
07:21And I'm confident that his sincerity is genuine.
07:25He undoubtedly considers these humanitarian concerns when formulating his decisions.
07:30However, other factors also come into play.
07:34Political considerations and economic interests.
07:37Therefore, I believe that the US is actively seeking a solution to this problem.
07:44He has spoken about intentions.
07:47You're right about that.
07:48You know, he's claimed to have ended wars.
07:51He's been claiming much to India's disappointment that he brought about a broken ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
07:59And now he's looking at Russia, Ukraine.
08:01He's looking at Israel.
08:02Do you really think Trump is a peacemaker?
08:05Regarding the situation in Ukraine, yes, let me repeat once again.
08:19I am absolutely certain, with no doubt at all, he sincerely aims for a peaceful resolution.
08:25Let me express once again.
08:27The United States may have various reasons for this.
08:30Humanitarian ones, personally for Trump, because he genuinely wants to end hostilities and prevent further loss of life.
08:40But there could also be political interests tied to ending the confrontation between Russia and Ukraine.
08:48Or economic motives, too.
08:53By the way, they can be in the energy area and in other areas.
08:58There are numerous areas where restoring economic relations between the US and Russia would benefit both sides.
09:08I showed you some letters, I won't go into this right now, large US companies sent to us.
09:15We should remember this.
09:17Of course.
09:22About their existence.
09:25They are waiting until all problems are solved and they are ready to return to us.
09:30They want this.
09:31Asking us not to forget about them.
09:33The letters are there.
09:34What's so surprising about that?
09:36Many want to return.
09:38So?
09:39Of course the Indian government is saying right.
09:42Why should we leave?
09:45But for Trump to make the bidding, to come with companies, letters from companies, that's a different ballgame altogether.
09:58No.
09:59I believe there has been a misunderstanding.
10:01We have letters from American companies, letters they have sent us, where they urge us not to forget about their existence.
10:08These are our former partners, who did not leave by choice.
10:12They express a clear desire to resume cooperation and are waiting, among other things, for a corresponding political signal.
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