Guwahati: U.S. President Donald Trump has urged the European Union to introduce steep tariffs, up to 100%, on imports from India and China, aiming to ramp up pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to reports, both a U.S. official and an EU diplomat confirmed that Trump delivered the message during a recent conference call with EU sanctions envoy David O’Sullivan and other European officials.
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The EU delegation, currently in Washington to coordinate sanctions policy, received Trump’s proposal as part of ongoing discussions over tightening economic pressure on Russia. Sources said the United States signaled its own readiness to implement similar tariffs if the EU responded positively.
If the EU complies, the move would mark a shift from its usual strategy of imposing sanctions directly on Russia rather than penalizing third-party countries.
According to the Financial Times, several European capitals have started debating the use of secondary sanctions targeting nations like China and India, both of which continue to purchase Russian oil and gas.
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However, hesitation remains within the EU due to its deep trade ties with both New Delhi and Beijing. Many European leaders reportedly fear that punitive tariffs could strain critical economic relationships at a time of already heightened global tensions.
Trump’s renewed push for aggressive trade penalties comes shortly after Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Putin, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a trilateral meeting at a summit, signaling closer ties among the three nations.
China and India have emerged as major buyers of Russian crude oil, prompting Trump to repeatedly threaten tariff hikes against both countries. During his previous term, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods as part of what he described as a “penalty” for continued energy trade with Moscow. He also criticized the EU for not fully severing its energy dependence on Russia, which still accounted for nearly 19% of its gas imports last year, despite Brussels’ claims of pursuing full energy independence.
Despite the tough rhetoric, Trump has recently adopted a more measured tone toward India. In a post on his Truth Social platform, he acknowledged ongoing efforts to remove trade barriers between Washington and New Delhi. He also expressed his intent to speak with Prime Minister Modi soon and suggested that U.S.-India trade could grow stronger moving forward.