NEW YORK – US President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused China and India of being “primary funders” of Russia’s war in Ukraine, despite his recent shift to a more conciliatory diplomatic approach toward the Asian powers.
“China and India are the primary funders of the ongoing war by continuing to purchase Russian oil,” Trump said in an address in New York at the UN General Assembly, his first since returning to the White House in January.
Trump’s denunciation came as his administration has renewed efforts to make progress in its trade negotiations with both China and India.
Trump also criticized NATO allies for not sufficiently curbing their reliance on Russia for energy, while exercising relative restraint in his remarks about Moscow’s responsibility for the yearslong war.
His speech before the world body lasted a little under an hour, far exceeding the 15-minute limit for each speaker.
It focused on touting what Trump believes he has accomplished in the first eight months of his current term in office, rather than affirming the importance of multilateralism in tackling global issues, as many world leaders typically emphasize during the annual gathering.
Among other points, Trump defended the imposition of hefty tariffs on imports from other countries as an effective means to safeguard US “sovereignty and security.”
He claimed that thanks to the measures, his administration has succeeded in striking “one historic trade deal after another,” including with Britain, Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines.
He expressed his beliefs in a calm tone in the UN General Assembly Hall, repeating many sentiments he has aired in the past to disparage his predecessor Joe Biden’s policies, undermine the scientific consensus on climate change and scold the world body.
“What is the purpose of the United Nations?” he asked, asserting that the organization has only offered “empty words” that fail to resolve conflicts.
“Not only is the UN not solving the problems it should, too often it’s actually creating new problems for us to solve,” he added.
“The best example is the No. 1 political issue of our time, the crisis of uncontrolled migration. It’s uncontrolled. Your countries are being ruined,” Trump said. — KYODO NEWS
