US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has lashed out at European allies, accusing them of hypocrisy on sanctions against Russia and demanding they match Washington’s hardline measures.
"It is time for our European counterparts to put up or shut up," Bessent told Fox News, dismissing what he called repeated lectures from across the Atlantic.
"They keep saying, 'Oh, the US should do this, the US should do that.' President Trump has imposed secondary sanctions, or secondary tariffs, on India because of their consumption of Russian oil, and the Europeans haven’t done that yet," Bessent claimed.
🚨⚡️ US Treasury Secretary Bessent:The Europeans should put up or shut up.He said they shouldn't tell Trump what to do.
The US has put secondary sanctions on India for buying Russian oil but the Europeans haven't done that yet and they are still buying Indian refined oil. pic.twitter.com/gZDVdi3OUX
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— RussiaNews 🇷🇺 (@mog_russEN) August 14, 2025
In a swipe at the EU, Bessent accused European states of continuing to purchase refined fuel from Indian refineries that process Russian crude -- a move he says undermines the so-called “united front” against Moscow.
"We need some coordination here," he insisted. "If we want to have a unified front, which will give President Trump maximum leverage, then I think our European counterparts need to do their part."
US threatens India with more penalties
Bessent also hinted at further economic pressure on India, telling Bloomberg TV the Trump administration could escalate secondary tariffs depending on the outcome of this week’s Alaska talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We’ve put secondary tariffs on Indians for buying Russian oil. And I could see, if things don’t go well, then sanctions or secondary tariffs could go up," he said.
Trump links India tariffs to Putin talks
President Trump, meanwhile, suggested his punitive trade measures against India may have helped push Putin to the table.
"Everything has an impact," Trump told Fox News Radio’s The Brian Kilmeade Show. He claimed that the tariffs had “essentially” cut India out of the Russian oil market, depriving Moscow of a key buyer.
"Certainly, when you lose your second-largest customer and you’re probably going to lose your first largest customer, I think that probably has a role," Trump said.
Washington earlier slapped a sweeping 50% tariff on Indian goods, accusing New Delhi of indirectly financing Russia’s war in Ukraine -- a move that has drawn sharp criticism abroad for harming global trade while doing little to alter Moscow’s battlefield calculus.
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