The Kremlin has criticised US President Donald Trump's threat to raise tariffs on India if it does not stop buying Russian oil, AFP reports.

Trump gave Moscow until August 8 to make progress on a peace deal with Kiev or face new economic sanctions. These could include penalties for countries that buy Russia's vital oil and gas exports.

On August 4, the Republican threatened India specifically with higher tariffs, prompting New Delhi to brand any potential move by the US administration as "unwarranted and unreasonable."

A day later, Russia repeated the same criticism.

"Sovereign states have the right to choose their own trade partners," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Without naming Trump, he criticized calls to "force countries to cut off trade relations" with Russia as "illegitimate."

Ukraine's Western allies have sought to limit Russia's export earnings since Moscow launched its military offensive in February 2022.

Russia has managed to shift energy sales from Europe to other countries, including India and China, ensuring that the multibillion-dollar flow of funds continues. 

Trump has not imposed new sanctions on Moscow since he returned to the White House in January.

He has forced the two sides into direct peace talks for the first time in more than three years, but three rounds of talks in Istanbul have failed to make meaningful progress. | BGNES