US presidential envoy accuses EU of buying Russian oil via India

U.S. Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff, during a phone call on September 4 with the “coalition of the willing,” accused EU member states of buying Russian oil through India, Germany’s Bild newspaper reported.

According to the publication, U.S. President Donald Trump said that European countries are “aiding the Russian war machine.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen disagreed, noting that imports of Russian oil into the EU have “significantly decreased” since 2022, with only Hungary and Slovakia continuing to import actively.

Bild writes that European officials proposed sending representatives to Washington to form a working group on developing new sanctions against Russia. The paper added that it remains unclear whether the U.S. president has agreed to the proposal.

Earlier, media outlets reported that Steve Witkoff left an in-person meeting of the “coalition of the willing” at the Élysée Palace—held ahead of European leaders’ call with Donald Trump—around 40 minutes after it began.

By Vugar Khalilov