Donald Trump has once again sharpened his rhetoric on global trade and energy politics by calling on the European Union to impose punitive tariffs on two of the world’s largest economies, India and China. According to a Reuters report on Tuesday, Trump urged Brussels to adopt tariffs of up to 100 per cent as part of a coordinated transatlantic strategy designed to restrict Moscow’s oil revenues and apply intensified economic pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin. His appeal came against the backdrop of ongoing efforts in Washington and Europe to close loopholes in sanctions and limit the channels through which Russia continues to fund its war effort in Ukraine.
The request was conveyed during a conference call that connected Trump administration officials with EU sanctions envoy David O’Sullivan and several senior European representatives. This coincided with an EU delegation’s visit to Washington for sanctions coordination talks, underscoring the seriousness of Washington’s bid to bring Europe fully on board with its tariff-first approach. One US official emphasized the urgency of the proposal, stating, “We’re ready to go, ready to go right now, but we’re only going to do this if our European partners step up with us.” The statement reflected Washington’s push for a joint front, suggesting that unilateral measures would not carry the same weight without European participation.
Trump himself took part in outlining the strategy during these talks, leaving little room for ambiguity. He bluntly framed tariffs as the most effective tool available, saying: “The obvious approach here is, let’s all put on dramatic tariffs and keep the tariffs on until the Chinese agree to stop buying the oil. There really aren’t many other places that oil can go.” By directly linking tariffs to oil imports, Trump made clear that the ultimate goal was to cut off Russia’s primary source of income. Washington, according to an EU diplomat present in the discussions, indicated that it was prepared to impose similar tariffs if Brussels was willing to act in parallel. “They are basically saying: We’ll do this, but you need to do it with us,” the diplomat explained, highlighting the conditional nature of Trump’s push.
If implemented, such a move would mark a dramatic shift in European policy. Until now, the EU’s efforts to curb Russia’s war machine have largely revolved around direct sanctions targeting Russian individuals, banks, and specific industries rather than imposing sweeping tariffs on third-party nations. The Financial Times reported that European capitals were already debating whether to apply secondary sanctions on countries such as India and China, though these conversations have been complicated by Europe’s extensive trade ties with both Asian giants. The tariff proposal thus places the EU at a crossroads, testing whether it is willing to escalate its measures despite potential economic risks to its own markets.
The rationale for Trump’s pressure campaign lies in the energy dynamics since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Both India and China have emerged as the largest buyers of discounted Russian oil, effectively serving as a lifeline for Moscow’s economy in the face of Western sanctions. Trump has repeatedly threatened to impose heavy duties on both nations over their willingness to continue these purchases, and earlier this year, he raised tariffs on India by an additional 25 percentage points. While he has not yet enacted the more extreme measures he has floated, the repeated threats underscore his determination to punish what he views as enabling behavior that undercuts Western unity.
At the same time, Trump has frequently criticized Europe itself for failing to cut its own energy ties with Russia promptly. Despite ambitious commitments to phase out dependence, Russian gas still accounted for about 19 per cent of EU imports as recently as last year, a figure Trump has seized upon to argue that Europe’s sanctions strategy is incomplete and inconsistent. By pushing for coordinated tariffs, Trump appears to be challenging European capitals to match Washington’s hardline stance rather than adopting half-measures.
Yet, in an intriguing twist, Trump moderated his tone just hours later with remarks directed specifically at India. While maintaining his tough posture on Russian oil, he suggested that trade ties with New Delhi could, in fact, deepen rather than deteriorate. In a social media post, Trump wrote that the United States and India were continuing negotiations to reduce trade barriers and expressed optimism about a mutually beneficial outcome. He even emphasized his personal friendship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that he looked forward to speaking with him in the weeks ahead. This sudden shift from confrontation to conciliation reflects the complex balancing act at the heart of Trump’s approach—simultaneously applying pressure while leaving the door open for partnership.
