Donald Trump preps new trade tariffs against China and India to intensify pressure on Russia
Former U.S.
President Donald Trump recently made a surprising announcement that could dramatically alter the global trade landscape.
He expressed his readiness to impose significant tariffs and trade restrictions against India and China in order to exert additional pressure on Russian leader Vladimir Putin and push him to engage in negotiations with Ukraine.
According to sources, this initiative was announced during a telephone conference involving high-ranking officials from the United States and the European Union in Washington.
Importantly, this strategy entails a reciprocal response: any new tariffs imposed by Brussels on China or India should be met with similar sanctions from Washington.The proposal faces considerable challenges, especially since some EU member states, such as Hungary, have previously blocked harsher sanctions against Russia’s energy sector.
As such, while Trump’s proposal opens a new avenue for international economic pressure, its implementation depends on consensus among EU countries.
Other potential measures discussed include further sanctions on Russia’s shadow oil fleet of tankers, as well as restrictions against Russian banks, financial institutions, and major oil corporations involved in Moscow’s energy economy.This initiative comes ahead of the expiration of the timeline set for a bilateral meeting between Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling into question the prospects of further negotiations.
Recent Russian attacks, including a strike on Yavoriv that killed over twenty pensioners, demonstrate Moscow’s ongoing escalation against Ukraine.
The U.S.
response will ultimately depend on President Trump’s decision, who has so far stopped short of directly punishing Russia despite multiple deadlines and Putin’s refusal to negotiate an end to the war.Meanwhile, Trump has already doubled tariffs on Indian imports — up to 50% — in response to India’s continued purchases of Russian oil.
On social media, he announced ongoing negotiations with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove trade barriers, with plans for a discussion in the coming weeks.
Additionally, a heated discussion occurred during a summit in Paris between European leaders and Trump, highlighting the ongoing tensions.This week, a European delegation is visiting Washington to coordinate joint strategies to increase pressure on Russia to halt its aggression and begin negotiations with Kyiv.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko, participating in the talks, called on European partners to intensify sanctions against the so-called ‘shadow fleet,’ large oil companies, traders, and intermediaries linked to Moscow’s energy schemes.
These discussions are taking place ahead of the EU’s nineteenth sanctions package, which aims to tighten restrictions further to support Ukraine and curb Russia’s aggression.