US Tariffs News: Trump Urges EU to Impose 100% Tariffs on China and India to Pressure Russia

CopilotPerplexityChatGPTDeepSeekGoogleGrokGemini

U.S. President Donald Trump has urged the European Union to impose tariffs of up to 100% on imports from China and India. The appeal was made during a recent conference call with EU sanctions envoy David O’Sullivan and senior officials from both sides. Trump said the step was necessary to pressure Russia over its war in Ukraine. He added that the U.S. would introduce the same tariffs if the EU agreed to move forward.

China and India are among the largest buyers of Russian oil. According to U.S. officials, higher tariffs on these countries would make it harder for Russia to fund its military operations. Trump argued that coordinated economic measures are the most effective way to weaken Moscow’s ability to continue the conflict.

Earlier this year, the U.S. raised tariffs on Indian imports to 50% in response to India’s continued purchase of Russian oil. So far, China has not faced the same scale of tariff increases, though Washington has applied other trade restrictions. Trump’s new call for 100% tariffs marks a sharp escalation in trade pressure.

China’s foreign ministry condemned the proposal, calling it unfair and harmful to global trade stability. India has not issued an official statement on the new demand but has previously defended its energy imports from Russia as essential for domestic needs.

The European Union has shown caution on the matter. EU officials are concerned about straining economic ties with Beijing and New Delhi, two of the bloc’s largest trading partners. Analysts say the EU is weighing the political pressure from Washington against the risks of damaging its own economy.

Despite the tariff proposal, Trump has signaled that dialogue with India remains open. He confirmed that talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi are ongoing to resolve broader trade issues. The outcome of these discussions will determine whether Washington’s push for a united tariff front gains traction.