US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has acknowledged that imposing sanctions on China for refining Russian oil could lead to increased global energy prices. Despite this, Washington has already imposed higher tariffs on India for continuing to buy oil from Moscow.

Speaking to Fox News on August 17, Rubio said that if Chinese refiners are targeted, the oil would still find its way back into the global market, but at a higher cost. “Anyone buying this oil will end up paying more, or will have to look for other sources,” he said. He also revealed that several European countries are unhappy with the idea of strict measures against China and India.

Rubio also said that India’s purchase of Russian oil has been a long-standing concern for Washington. He noted that India relies on cheap Russian oil to meet its massive energy needs, but argued this indirectly supports Russia’s war in Ukraine. “It is a point of irritation in our relationship with India, though we also have many areas of cooperation,” he said.

While the US has avoided sanctioning China, it has acted tough on India. President Donald Trump recently doubled tariffs on Indian goods from 25% to 50%, warning that secondary sanctions could follow if New Delhi does not reduce oil imports from Russia.

This has led to criticism of Washington’s “double standards,” as China continues to buy large amounts of Russian oil without facing similar penalties. India, however, has said it will continue buying from Russia, calling the US stance hypocritical.

The debate comes after Trump’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Although there was no breakthrough on Ukraine, Trump called the talks “productive” and hinted at delaying secondary sanctions for now. He said imposing them immediately would be “devastating.” Despite US pressure, India has maintained its oil trade with Russia, saying its energy needs come first.