Ongoing Purchases from Russia by the US and EU
In the wake of geopolitical tensions and sanctions, the trade relationships between the EU, USA, India, and Russia have undergone significant changes, particularly in the areas of oil, natural gas, iron and steel, fertilizers, and other key imports.
India-Russia Trade
India has remained one of the largest importers of Russian oil, purchasing approximately 1.75 million barrels daily in the first half of 2025, marking a 1% increase from the previous year. Alongside oil, India also imports Russian fertilizers and chemicals. Despite criticism from the West, India defends this trade, accusing the US and EU of "double standards" due to their own continued significant trade with Russia [1][3][4].
EU-Russia Trade
Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, EU imports from Russia have dropped sharply by 86%, from about €30.58 billion four years ago to €8.74 billion in Q1 2025. However, the EU still imports substantial Russian oil, natural gas (notably liquefied natural gas at a record 16.5 million tonnes in 2024), nickel, fertilizers, iron, steel, chemicals, mining products, machinery, and transport equipment. Trade value with Russia reached €67.5 billion in 2024 despite sanctions [2][4].
USA-Russia Trade
The US continues to import Russian uranium hexafluoride (used in nuclear power), palladium (used in electric vehicle production), fertilizers, and chemicals without clear restrictions, alongside commodities sourced from Russia. US trade with Russia thus remains significant despite sanctions. Recent US threats include raising tariffs on Indian imports due to India’s Russian oil purchases but do not publicly threaten the US-Russia trade in the same way [1][3][4].
Key Insights on Trade Dynamics
The EU's trade with India faces some strains, partly due to India's Russian trade and tariff threats from the US. The EU is cautiously advancing trade talks with India, especially sensitive around agriculture, which employs a large portion of India’s population. Eliminating Russian oil from markets could raise global prices, affecting all parties. India looks for stable economic partners amid geopolitical tensions, while the US’s policies—like tariff threats on India—might impact alliances. The EU also questions the US’s selective pressure, noting China imports even more Russian oil without similar sanctions [5].
In summary, despite sanctions and geopolitical tensions, the EU and the US continue to import significant Russian energy (oil, gas), fertilizers, and metals (iron and steel products). India’s imports of Russian oil have increased slightly, provoking criticism and trade friction with the US. The EU-Russia trade, though substantially reduced, remains important in energy and industrial materials, while the US continues critical nuclear and automotive commodity imports from Russia.
This complex, evolving trade landscape illustrates persistent interconnectedness in these strategic commodity flows despite political conflicts and sanctions [1][2][3][4][5].
[1] Source 1 [2] Source 2 [3] Source 3 [4] Source 4 [5] Source 5
Community policies within the EU and the USA need to be evaluated to ensure they align with their employment policies, given the significant imports of Russian energy, fertilizers, and metals still present in their trade relationships. This could lead to discussions on the potential employment impacts stemming from dependent industries such as energy, finance, and business, especially considering India's increased oil imports from Russia and the potential for global price fluctuations if Russian oil is eliminated from world markets.
