Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticised US President Donald Trump for attempting to pressure global powers like India and China with what he described as outdated “colonial-era tactics.”
Speaking to reporters during his visit to Beijing for China’s victory parade on Wednesday, Putin said nations with large populations and strong economies cannot be coerced through threats.
“India and China have their own political systems and legal frameworks. When someone threatens to punish them, their leaders—who carry the weight of historical struggles against colonialism and assaults on sovereignty—will not respond kindly,” he remarked.
Putin stressed that leaders of such countries cannot afford to show weakness, as it could cost them politically at home.
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“The colonial era is over. They need to realise they cannot use that language with their partners,” he said, calling Trump’s approach a sign of poor understanding of how these nations operate.
The remarks come against the backdrop of Trump’s recent trade measures targeting India and China.
Washington imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian imports of Russian oil, while China initially faced 145 per cent US tariffs.
After negotiations, both sides agreed on an interim trade arrangement, lowering duties to 30 per cent on Chinese goods entering the US, while Beijing reduced its tariffs on American imports from 125 per cent to 10 per cent.
