Trump frustrated as there's no flexibility from Russia: Marco Rubio
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KUALA LUMPUR: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that the US and Russia have exchanged new ideas for Ukraine peace talks after e met with his Russian counterpart in Malaysia Thursday."I think it's a new and a different approach," Rubio told reporters after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov . "I wouldn't characterise it as something that guarantees a peace, but it's a concept that, you know, that I'll take back to the president." He didn't elaborate.Rubio added that President Donald Trump has been "disappointed and frustrated that there's not been more flexibility on the Russian side" to bring about an end to the conflict."We need to see a roadmap moving forward about how this conflict can conclude. And then we shared some ideas about what that might look like," he said of the 50-minute meeting. "We're going to continue to stay involved where we see opportunities to make a difference."The two men held talks in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum, which brings together 10 ASEAN members and their most important diplomatic partners including Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, European nations and the US.The meeting was their second since Rubio took office, although they have spoken by phone several times. Their first meeting took place in February in Saudi Arabia, as the Trump administration sought to test Russia and Ukraine on their willingness to make peace.
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Business Standard
23 minutes ago
- Business Standard
EU imposes sanctions on Rosneft's India refinery, lowers oil price cap
The European Union on Friday imposed sanctions on the Indian oil refinery of Russian energy giant Rosneft and lowered the oil price cap, as part of a new raft of measures against Russia over its war in Ukraine. The fresh sanctions package on Russia included new banking restrictions, and curbs on fuels made from Russian crude oil. The lowered oil price cap - currently set at USD 60 per barrel - means Russia will be forced to sell its crude at reduced rates to buyers like India. As the second-largest purchaser of Russian oil, India stands to benefit from this move. Russian crude currently accounts for nearly 40 per cent of India's total oil imports. "For the first time, we're designating a flag registry and the biggest Rosneft refinery in India," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a post on X. Rosneft owns 49.13 per cent stake in Nayara Energy Ltd, formerly Essar Oil Ltd. Nayara owns and operates a 20 million tonne a year oil refinery at Vadinar in Gujarat as also over 6,750 petrol pumps. An investment consortium SPV, Kesani Enterprises Company holds 49.13 per cent stake in Nayara. Kesani is owned by Russia's United Capital Partners (UCP) and Hara Capial Sarl, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mareterra Group Holding (formerly Genera Group Holding S.p.A.). EU sanctions means Nayara cannot export fuel such as petrol and diesel to European countries. "We are standing firm. The EU just approved one of its strongest sanctions package against Russia to date," Kallas said. "We're cutting the Kremlin's war budget further, going after 105 more shadow fleet ships, their enablers, and limiting Russian banks' access to funding." Among the sanctions announced were ban on Nord Stream pipelines, and a lower cap on price at which Russian can export oil. In December 2022, the Group of Seven (G7) nations imposed a USD 60 a barrel price cap on Russian oil sold to third countries. Under this mechanism, Western insurance and shipping services could only be used if the oil was sold at or below the capped price. The goal was to restrict Russia's oil revenues while maintaining stability in global energy supplies. However, the cap faced criticism for being largely ineffective in achieving its intended impact. The European Union and Britain had been pushing to lower the price cap after a fall in global oil prices made the current USD 60 cap nearly irrelevant. While Kallas did not specify the new price cap, reports suggest it will initially be set between USD 45 and USD 50, with automatic revisions at least twice a year based on market conditions. While the lower price cap stands to benefit importing countries like India, continued purchases may be at risk if the US follows through on its threat of sanctions. Earlier this week, President Donald Trump warned that nations buying Russian exports could face sanctions or steep tariffs if Moscow does not reach a peace agreement with Ukraine within 50 days. Russia typically supplies crude oil to India on a delivered basis - handling both shipping and insurance for the cargo and vessels. Under the price cap mechanism, Russia kept the official invoice price of crude below USD 60 per barrel to comply with sanctions, but charged higher rates for transportation services. This practice has allowed it to effectively realize prices closer to market rates despite the cap. The oil price cap was widely viewed as ineffective, as much of Russia's crude was being transported via a 'shadow fleet'vessels operating outside the control of G7-based shipping services. A significant portion of Russia's seaborne oil exports was reportedly carried by tankers that were not flagged, owned, or operated by companies based in the G7, EU, Australia, Switzerland, or Norway, and were not insured by Western protection and indemnity clubs. The oil price cap was also widely viewed as ineffective, as much of Russia's crude was being transported via a 'shadow fleet' - vessels operating outside the control of G7-based shipping services. A significant portion of Russia's seaborne oil exports was reportedly carried by tankers that were not flagged, owned, or operated by companies based in the G7, EU, Australia, Switzerland, or Norway, and were not insured by Western protection and indemnity clubs. Russia's shadow tanker fleet expanded as the steep discounts on its crude oil narrowed - from record levels of around USD 40 per barrel below Dated Brent in 2022, following the invasion of Ukraine, to just USD 34 per barrel currently. "We are putting more pressure on Russia's military industry, Chinese banks that enable sanctions evasion, and blocking tech exports used in drones," Kallas said. "Our sanctions also hit those indoctrinating Ukrainian children. We will keep raising the costs, so stopping the aggression becomes the only path forward for Moscow." Europe imports fuels like diesel and petrol from India. Indian refiners typically buy large amounts of Russian crude, which is refined to fuels like petrol and diesel and exported to EU. Oil income is the linchpin of Russia's economy , allowing President Vladimir Putin to pour money into the armed forces without worsening inflation for everyday people and avoiding a currency collapse. Other measures adopted by EU include sanctions on dozens more vessels in Russia's shadow fleet of oil tankers, bringing the total above 400, as well as on several entities and traders that work with the covert fleet. Besides more goods have been added to existing export lists of restricted items used by Moscow's war machine while sanctions have been imposed on several entities, including in China and elsewhere, that are seen to aid Russia skirt the bloc's trade and energy restrictions. Also targeted was the Nord Stream pipelines between Russia and Germany to prevent Moscow from generating any revenue from them in future. The pipelines were built to carry Russian natural gas to Germany but are not in operation. The sanctions also targeted Russia's banking sector, with the aim of limiting the Kremlin's ability to raise funds or carry out financial transactions. Two Chinese banks were added to the list.
Time of India
23 minutes ago
- Time of India
Is Europe becoming the frontline of the military battlefield against Russia?
Mrutyuanjai Mishra is a commentator with Politiken, Denmark's largest newspaper. He also comments on Asia on Danish TV and radio channels. He has authored many analytical articles on Asia and India in several Danish newspapers. He has studied anthropology at Copenhagen University and has specialized in human rights and democratization. Mrutyuanjai Mishra has spent half of his life in India and the other half in the Scandinavian countries Denmark and Sweden. Mrutyuanjai Mishra is also a consultant lecturer on issues related to India and Asia at institutions of higher education. He is currently working on a book on India to be used for higher educational purposes in Scandinavian countries. LESS ... MORE The 18th of July holds deep significance for human rights activists across the world. It is Nelson Mandela International Day: his birthday. Had he been alive today, Mandela would have turned 107. He passed away at the age of 95, but his legacy continues to inspire global conversations about justice, dignity, and reconciliation. Mandela was the first black head of state in South Africa and the first to be elected through a fully democratic process, after spending 27 years in prison for opposing apartheid. He was deeply inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. South Africa's long, painful journey toward freedom mirrors India's own decades-long struggle for independence, finally achieved in 1947. Mandela once urged each of us, regardless of nationality, race, or background, to dedicate at least one hour on this day to doing something meaningful for someone else or for a community in need. Those who admire his values and wish to honor his legacy can always find a way to help, even in small acts of kindness. These gestures, however modest, reflect a deeper commitment to our shared humanity. And yet, today, that very humanity is under increasing strain. After attending a peace conference in Berlin on July 12–13, I left with a sobering realization: Europe is in urgent need of clarity, courage, and political sanity. Participants from across the globe had gathered to voice growing concern about the escalating political and military tensions in Europe and beyond. The conference brought together peace activists, academics, students, former diplomats, politicians, military officials, economists, musicians, and other professionals. Hundreds more joined virtually. The opening session bore a striking title: 'Man Is Not a Wolf to Man: For a New Paradigm in International Relations.' In her keynote address, Helga Zepp-LaRouche, founder of the Schiller Institute, traced the historical forces that have led us to this dangerous precipice. She warned that we are at a 'punctum saliens', a critical inflection point in history, comparable to the years preceding the First and Second World Wars. The message is clear: we must act. We can draw strength from the South African philosophy of Ubuntu, which teaches: 'I am because you are.' This simple but profound truth reminds us that our fates are intertwined. Peace in one region fosters peace everywhere. Conflict in one region sends tremors throughout the entire world. It was deeply moving to see American peace activists standing shoulder to shoulder with others from around the world, united by the conviction that a more cooperative and just global order is still within reach. One of the most powerful voices at the conference was Ray McGovern, former senior CIA analyst and co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS). Now in his eighties, McGovern spoke with the authority of someone who has witnessed generations of geopolitical shifts. He asserted that the United States had fundamentally betrayed Russia after the Cold War. Recalling a conversation with Mikhail Gorbachev's secretary, McGovern recounted asking, 'Why didn't you get it in writing from U.S. Secretary of State James Baker that NATO wouldn't expand an inch?' The response was tragic in its naivety: 'We trusted you all.' Mandela Day reminds us that trust, once broken, is extraordinarily hard to rebuild. Today, Russia views American military intentions with profound suspicion. One emerging flashpoint is Denmark. The Danish government has invited the US to build military bases on its territory, without holding a referendum or even consulting the public. Many Danes now fear that their country could be compelled to accept nuclear weapons and relinquish control over what the U.S. military does on Danish soil. Who would have imagined, just a few years ago, that Denmark could be transformed into a frontline state in a major war, one that might spiral into a third world war? Critics argue that Danish politicians have all but surrendered their national sovereignty. This brings us to one of Russia's leading strategic thinkers: Dmitri Trenin, Academic Leader at the Institute for Military World Economy and Strategy, Higher School of Economics, Moscow. Speaking from Russia at the Berlin conference, Trenin delivered a stark warning about the direction into which Europe is heading. 'Europe is intent on becoming the frontline of the military battlefield against Russia,' he said. Trenin argued that this confrontation is being used to create a new cohesion in Europe, positioning the continent as a replacement for the United States in the strategic standoff with Russia, while Washington shifts its focus to containing China. According to Trenin, the justification for this military escalation is built on a false premise: that Russia is preparing to attack NATO. He warned that this narrative is being used to rationalize a long-term military buildup, including long-range weapons systems and the deployment of troops to the Ukrainian front, based on the dangerously misguided assumption that Russia will not retaliate. 'The current situation,' he said, 'is even more dangerous than during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. But there is still a narrow window of hope, if meaningful action is taken at this eleventh hour.' So, what can we do for humanity on this Mandela Day? Perhaps we can begin by urging more Europeans to choose dialogue over confrontation, cooperation over coercion, and peace over militarization. Europe must not allow itself to become a vassal state of the United States, nor should it attempt to pressure nations like India, China, or Brazil into adopting a unipolar vision of world order. Instead, Europe should reclaim its independent voice, one rooted in diplomacy, dignity, and balance. It must help shape a multilateral world where all nations are heard and respected, and where the Global South is finally given the space and justice it needs to heal from centuries of colonialism, exploitation, and racism. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
New Indian Express
23 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Germany deports 81 Afghan convicts as Merz signals tough immigration stance
BERLIN: Germany said Friday it had deported 81 Afghan men convicted of crimes to their Taliban-controlled homeland, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government looks to signal a hard line on immigration. The interior ministry said a plane carrying the men took off Friday morning bound for Afghanistan, adding that all the deportees were under expulsion orders and were convicted by the criminal justice system. The government of Europe's top economy was forging ahead with a "policy change", said Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who was hosting several European counterparts for a migration meeting. "Deportations to Afghanistan must continue to be carried out safely in the future. There is no right of residence for serious criminals in our country." Berlin has had only indirect contact with the Taliban authorities through third parties with Friday's operation executed with the help of Qatar, said the German interior ministry. Germany had stopped deportations to Afghanistan and closed its embassy in Kabul following the Taliban's return to power in 2021. But expulsions resumed last year for the first time since the Taliban came to power, when the previous government of Social Democrat chancellor Olaf Scholz expelled a group of 28 Afghans convicted of crimes.
