Trump Eyes Russian Oil at Xi Jinping Meeting, Claims India Has ‘Cut Back Completely’

US President Donald Trump is travelling to Southeast Asia for his first visit to the region since returning to office, embarking on a three-nation tour of Malaysia, Japan and South Korea that is expected to culminate in a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The visit comes as tensions between Washington and Beijing escalate since Trump’s threat of fresh US tariffs on China. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he may raise the issue of China’s import of Russian oil during his talks with Xi. “I may be discussing it (purchase of Russian oil)… China’s cutting back very substantially on the purchase of Russian oil, and India’s cutting back completely, and we’ve imposed sanctions,” he said. India has, however, consistently rejected Trump’s claims that New Delhi would cut down oil imports from Russia, saying that its priority remains “protecting national interests”.Also Read: What’s Making Indian Refiners Double-Check Every Drop Of Russian Oil? Trump added that he was optimistic about the discussions, saying he would address agricultural trade and China’s role in exporting components used to produce fentanyl. “I want our farmers to be taken care of, and he wants things also. We’re going to be talking about fentanyl. It is killing a lot of people, a lot of people, it comes from China,” he said. The two leaders are expected to meet on Thursday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea. It will mark their first face-to-face meeting since Trump’s return to the White House in January. The two leaders have spoken several times this year, with Trump saying that direct dialogue is the best way to address key issues.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maCj61g7iroThis comes day after Trump has threatened to impose new 100% tariffs on Chinese goods and introduce additional trade restrictions starting November 1, in response to Beijing’s export curbs on rare earth minerals and related technologies. Meanwhile, with Russia’s war in Ukraine entering its fourth year, Washington this week announced its first major sanctions targeting Russia’s petroleum sector. The US also warned that foreign financial institutions could face restrictions if they do business with Russian oil giants Rosneft or Lukoil. What’s Trump’s Schedule in Asia? Trump has hinted he may seek a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, although the White House has said no such encounter is currently planned. “You know, they don’t have a lot of telephone service,” Trump told reporters, before urging them to “put out the word.” In Malaysia, the President will meet Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim before attending a working dinner with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The White House said Trump will also take part in a signing ceremony for a peace agreement between Cambodia and Thailand, following a deadly border dispute that he has claimed credit for helping to resolve. The President will then travel to Japan — his fourth official visit to the country — for talks with the new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. In South Korea on Wednesday, Trump is expected to address business leaders at the APEC summit, hold a bilateral meeting with the President, and attend a dinner for attending leaders later that evening.