Economist Jeffrey Sachs: Russian Oil Sanctions Are Unilateral US Measures
Jeffrey Sachs says US sanctions on Russian oil lack UN backing, suggesting India can continue buying from non-sanctioned sources.
A senior global economist has pushed back against former US President Donald Trump’s claim that India agreed to stop buying Russian oil as part of a broader India-US trade deal, stressing that sanctions on Russian energy exports were not imposed by the United Nations and therefore do not carry universal legal force.
Speaking to NDTV, economist and public policy expert Jeffrey Sachs said restrictions on Russian oil are largely the result of unilateral actions by the United States and its allies, rather than sanctions approved by the UN Security Council. He argued that this distinction is critical, as UN-mandated sanctions are binding on all member states, while unilateral measures are not.
Trump recently asserted that a trade arrangement with India would significantly curb New Delhi’s purchases of Russian crude, suggesting the move would reduce Moscow’s energy revenues. However, Sachs questioned the premise of the claim, noting that no UN resolution obliges countries such as India to halt trade with Russia, and that sovereign nations retain the right to determine their own energy policies.
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Indian officials have also stopped short of confirming any commitment to end Russian oil imports. New Delhi has consistently maintained that its primary consideration is energy security and affordability for its population, while also indicating it is open to diversifying supply sources where feasible. Russia, for its part, has said it has not received any formal communication from India about plans to stop buying its crude.
The issue highlights broader geopolitical tensions around the use of trade and sanctions as foreign policy tools. Analysts note that while the US has sought to use tariffs and incentives to influence energy flows away from Russia, major economies outside the Western bloc continue to emphasise strategic autonomy in trade decisions.
As global energy markets remain volatile, observers say India is likely to balance diplomatic pressures with domestic economic priorities, making abrupt shifts in oil procurement unlikely without binding international mandates or clear economic alternatives.
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