Trump should get a Nobel because he brought India and Russia closer…; Former US official mocks the American President

Washington (The Uttam Hindu): Commenting on India–Russia relations, former US Pentagon official Michael Rubin took a sarcastic swipe at US President Donald Trump. Rubin said that the warm welcome and respect Russian President Vladimir Putin received in New Delhi should not be credited to Moscow but to Donald Trump, whose policies pushed India and Russia closer. He joked that Trump deserves a Nobel Prize for this “achievement.”

Speaking to ANI, Rubin said Putin’s visit to India was extremely successful from Moscow’s point of view, and the level of respect shown to him is rarely seen anywhere else in the world. According to him, the growing closeness between India and Russia is a direct result of Trump’s policies, which naturally brought the two countries together.

Rubin also questioned how many of the agreements signed during Putin’s visit will translate into real cooperation, and how many are simply a reflection of India’s recent frustration with Trump’s approach—whether it is his behavior toward Prime Minister Narendra Modi or his indifference toward India’s broader national interests.

He said there are two completely different viewpoints on this issue in the US. Trump supporters may see this as a success of his foreign policy, but the 65% of Americans who dislike him will view it as a diplomatic failure. Rubin argued that Trump weakened India–US relations and took several decisions that appeared to favor countries like Pakistan, Turkey and Qatar.

Many experts in Washington, Rubin said, are surprised at how Trump managed to damage the growing strategic partnership between India and the US. He added that Trump will never accept this and will instead try to portray India–Russia closeness as a result of his own policies.

Commenting on Putin’s assurance of uninterrupted energy supplies to India, Rubin said the US has repeatedly failed to understand India’s energy needs and strategic priorities. He explained that Indians elected Narendra Modi to protect India’s interests. India is the world’s most populated nation, soon to be the third-largest economy, and its energy requirements are massive. In such a situation, the US should stop lecturing India.

Rubin further pointed out that even the US buys energy from Russia when it has limited options. If Washington does not want India to buy Russian energy, he asked, what is the US doing to provide India with enough fuel at lower prices? He said bluntly that if the US cannot offer a real alternative, it should remain silent, because India will naturally prioritize its own security and needs.