There is a clear geopolitical price tag attached to dealing with Russia, but who pays the price and who reaps the rewards appears to depend on their relationship with the United States. For India, the price is high tariffs; for Russia, the potential reward is major investment.
India is being forced to pay a steep price for its energy relationship with Moscow. The Trump administration has imposed a 50% tariff on its US-bound goods, a direct economic penalty for its oil imports.
Russia, on the other hand, is being presented with an opportunity. The US is considering deals, such as allowing Exxon Mobil to return to the Sakhalin-1 project, as a reward for potential cooperation on peace in Ukraine.
This dynamic illustrates how the US is using its economic power to set the terms of engagement on the global stage. It is effectively placing a price on certain actions for its allies, while simultaneously offering incentives to its adversaries to change their behavior, a complex but deliberate geopolitical strategy.
