Trump urges EU to impose 100% tariffs on India, China to pressure Russia
US President Donald Trump has asked the European Union to hit China and India with tariffs of up to 100% over the countries’ Russia oil purchases, in a move aimed at turning up the heat on Moscow to end the war in Ukraine.
According to a Financial Times report, is tied directly to the two Asian giants’ continued purchases of Russian oil—a trade Washington says is helping to bankroll Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
Trump reportedly floated the idea during a high-level meeting with senior US and EU officials in Washington. People familiar with the talks said the White House even offered to “mirror” any tariffs Brussels imposes, signaling that Washington is prepared to act in lockstep if Europe agrees. One EU diplomat put it bluntly: “They’re basically saying: we’ll do this, but only if you do it with us.”
If Europe follows through, it would mark a major shift in the EU’s approach. Until now, Brussels has leaned heavily on sanctions and restrictions to squeeze Russia, steering clear of sweeping tariffs. But Trump’s proposal is aimed squarely at two of Moscow’s biggest lifelines: China and India, both of which have ramped up Russian oil purchases since the Ukraine invasion began.
Trump has already moved unilaterally against New Delhi. In July, his administration imposed a 25 percent reciprocal tariff on Indian goods, before doubling the rate to 50 percent within weeks. He justified the move by pointing to India’s refusal to scale back its energy ties with Russia. China, by contrast, remains the largest buyer of Russian crude, yet Washington has so far capped tariffs on Chinese goods at 30 percent—a rate Trump now suggests could climb much higher.
Just days ago, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping stood side by side at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, projecting unity in the face of Western pressure. That show of solidarity appears to have rattled Washington and added urgency to Trump’s call for a tougher European stance.
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