Days after President Donald Trump signed the Russia sanctions Bill — allowing the United States to impose penalties on Russia’s energy trading partners, including India — External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to travel to the US, offering a window for the two sides to have a discussion on the issue.

Jaishankar is visiting New York for the High Level Week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly next week, and will also hold several bilateral meetings on the sidelines.

Announcing his visit on Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement: “EAM’s address at the High Level Session of the 81st United Nations General Assembly is scheduled for September 26. During the visit, EAM will also attend various plurilateral and bilateral meetings.”

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After the US House of Representatives passed the Bill on Wednesday, New Delhi said it “remains firmly committed to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people” and warned of “potential implications” for “the bilateral relationship” with the US.

The MEA underlined that “this issue has been discussed at high levels in recent months with various US interlocutors”. The US move comes at a time when Delhi and Washington are trying to firm up a bilateral trade deal after months of negotiations. New Delhi has also conveyed to Washington, in the past weeks and months, the adverse impact of such a punishing move on the bilateral relationship.

President Trump is also attending the UNGA Session. He will address world leaders from the UNGA podium on September 22, his second address to the UN session in his second term in the White House. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also expected to be present for the event.

Jaishankar is scheduled to address the General Debate in the afternoon session on September 26, according to a revised provisional list of speakers for the high-level session.

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The year-long 81st session of the UN General Assembly will be presided over by Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, who was elected in June to head the 193-member UN organisation.

The session this year comes amid continuing geopolitical conflicts across the world, including the US-Iran war that has had a cascading impact on the Global South, owing to rising food and fuel costs in the wake of the continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.

The heads of government of Bangladesh and Nepal will address the General Debate on September 24.