U.S. President Donald Trump has called on the European Union to impose tariffs of up to 100% on imports from China and India.
This move aims to increase economic pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin over the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Trump made this request during a conference call with EU sanctions envoy David O’Sullivan and other EU officials in Washington.
China and India are among the largest purchasers of Russian oil, providing significant revenue to Moscow.
By imposing tariffs on goods from these countries, Trump seeks to disrupt the financial support sustaining Russia’s military actions.
A U.S. official emphasized that targeting the source of funding is crucial to halting the war machine.
The EU has traditionally focused on sanctions to isolate Russia economically. However, Trump has urged the EU to adopt a more aggressive tariff-based strategy.
He indicated that the U.S. would impose similar tariffs if the EU joins in, signaling a coordinated approach.
China has firmly opposed the U.S. applying such economic pressure, with its foreign ministry stating that it also opposes being used in discussions on Russia.
Beijing views the proposed tariffs as coercive and counterproductive.
While Trump has previously increased tariffs on Indian imports by 50% due to its economic relationship with Russia, he has also expressed a willingness to improve trade relations with India.
In a recent social media post, Trump mentioned ongoing discussions to address trade barriers between the U.S. and India, indicating potential for a favorable trade deal
