Trump urges EU to impose 100% tariffs on India, China to pressure Russia

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) urged the European Union (EU) to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on India and China as part of efforts to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin, Reuters reported, citing sources. The request, conveyed via a conference call, sought to leverage the two Asian powers’ role as major buyers of Russian oil, which remains vital to Moscow’s economy amid the war in Ukraine.

Conversations with EU sanctions envoy

Trump made the appeal directly to EU sanctions envoy David O’Sullivan and other officials. The EU delegation was in Washington to discuss sanctions coordination. According to an EU diplomat, Washington signalled it was willing to impose similar tariffs if Brussels agreed. “They are basically saying: We’ll do this but you need to do it with us,” Reuters quoted the diplomat as saying.

Possible shift in Europe’s strategy

If adopted, Trump’s proposal would mark a significant departure for the EU, which has so far relied primarily on sanctions rather than tariffs to isolate Russia. China and India remain among the largest buyers of Russian oil, and Trump has repeatedly threatened punitive action against both.

In July, Trump imposed a 25 per cent reciprocal tariff on Indian imports, later doubling it to 50 per cent, citing New Delhi’s continued oil trade with Moscow. By contrast, although China is the biggest purchaser of Russian crude, Washington has so far refrained from raising duties further on Chinese goods, which currently face a 30 per cent tariff.

The call for higher tariffs comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping displayed coordinated solidarity at the SCO Summit in Tianjin.

Criticism of Europe’s Russia links

Trump has also criticised Europe for not completely cutting its energy dependence on Russia. Moscow supplied about 19 per cent of EU gas imports last year, although Brussels has pledged to end this reliance.

Trump signals openness to India ties

Despite his hard stance, Trump on Tuesday suggested he was open to expanding trade ties with India. In a social media post, he said the US and India were working to address trade barriers and added that he looked forward to speaking with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.