NATO Warns India, China, and Brazil: “Strict Sanctions May Be Imposed for Trading with Russia”

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has issued a strong warning to India, China, and Brazil, stating that if they continue to trade with Russia, they may face severe sanctions in the next phase.

On Wednesday, NATO chief Mark Rutte warned India, Brazil, and China, saying that continuing trade relations with Russia could lead to the imposition of extremely strict sanctions on them.

Timing of the Statement

Rutte’s remarks came at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump announced new weapons support for Ukraine and stated that if a peace agreement is not reached within 50 days, a 100% “harsh” secondary tariff would be imposed on buyers of Russian exports.

Rutte’s Message: “Call Putin and Push for Peace”

Rutte said, “My special advice to these three countries is that if you are currently in Beijing, Delhi, or are the President of Brazil, you need to take this seriously, because the consequences will be very severe for you.”
He added, “So please call Vladimir Putin and tell him to take peace negotiations seriously, otherwise the impact on Brazil, India, and China will be massive.”

Rutte: U.S. Will Now Supply More Weapons to Ukraine

During his statement, Rutte also said that Europe will raise funds to bring Ukraine into the best possible position for peace talks.
He added that under Trump's agreement, the United States will now supply Ukraine with weapons on a "massive scale," including not just air defense systems but also missiles and ammunition funded by European nations.

SCO Must Not Compromise on Terrorism: Jaishankar

The Hindu, 16 July 2025

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack was aimed at “sowing religious discord” and damaging Jammu & Kashmir’s economy. Speaking at the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO-CFM) in China — attended by SCO foreign ministers including Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar — Jaishankar called for collective support to bring the perpetrators to justice.

On Tuesday (15 July 2025), Mr. Jaishankar met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. He also held bilateral talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, whom he had earlier met at the BRICS Summit in Brazil.

During his address at the meeting, Mr. Jaishankar stated, “The SCO was established to combat terrorism, separatism, and extremism.” He referred to the Pahalgam attack, where 26 people — mostly tourists — were killed based on their religious identity. He added, “This attack was deliberately aimed at undermining the tourism economy of Jammu & Kashmir and creating religious division.” He urged the SCO to adopt a firm stance on terrorism and referenced the UN Security Council resolution issued in April condemning the attack.

A press statement issued by the SCO Secretariat noted that member states exchanged views on “key areas of SCO cooperation, including political, economic, trade, cultural issues, and major international and regional matters” — but notably did not mention terrorism specifically.

Mr. Jaishankar's meeting with President Xi came a day after his bilateral talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing, where he acknowledged the “continued normalization” of India-China relations. The minister stated that he briefed President Xi on recent developments in bilateral ties and wrote on platform X, “I value the guidance of our leaders in this regard,” referring to PM Modi and President Xi.

According to Chinese state media, President Xi told SCO ministers that the organization must “play a more active role” in ensuring stability in the “turbulent and changing international landscape.”

Should U.S. President Donald Trump proceed with a proposed law imposing a 500% tariff on countries importing Russian oil and restricted goods, most SCO nations — particularly China and India — would be significantly affected.

In his remarks during the SCO-CFM, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar did not mention the issue of terrorism. In a social media post, Mr. Dar said he emphasized “the importance of upholding international law and implementing relevant UNSC resolutions to resolve long-standing disputes” and reiterated Pakistan’s desire for peace with “all its neighbors.”

Referring to Afghanistan — an SCO observer state that hasn’t been invited since the Taliban took control of Kabul in 2021 — Mr. Jaishankar said, “The compulsions of regional stability are reinforced by [India’s] long-standing concern for the welfare of the Afghan people,” and he urged SCO members to enhance development assistance to Afghanistan.

Criticizing Pakistan for blocking India-Afghanistan trade transit, Mr. Jaishankar remarked that “the absence of assured transit within the SCO region... undermines the seriousness of advocating economic cooperation,” and he advocated for the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) passing through Iran.