Rutte oversteps diplomatic protocol as he tries to pressure Russia’s friends to weight in on Putin to stop the fighting.

Washington: Nato secretary general Mark Rutte has threatened India, China, and Brazil with secondary sanctions over their continued business with Russia. While meeting with senators in the US Congress, Rutte urged the three countries to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin and persuade him to take the peace deal with Ukraine "seriously.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned on Wednesday that countries such as Brazil, China and India could be hit very hard by secondary sanctions if they continued to do business with Russia.

Rutte made the comment while meeting with senators in the US Congress the day after President Donald Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine.

Trump has threatened 100% ‘secondary tariffs’ on likes of India and China, which experts warn could cause a global spike in oil prices

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned on Wednesday that countries such as Brazil, China and India could be hit very hard by secondary sanctions if they continued to do business with Russia.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that Brazil, China and India will face secondary sanctions from the US if Russia doesn’t negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine, and said they should lean on President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire.

Mark Rutte urged the countries to tell Russian President Vladimir Putin that ‘he has to get serious about peace talks’ with Ukraine.