- Trump urges EU to join US in imposing up to 100% tariffs on India, China.
- Move targets Russian crude imports amid Ukraine war.
- India already faces 50% US tariffs; China at 30%.
- Trump warns tariffs will remain until Beijing halts oil purchases.
GG News Bureau
Washington, 6th Sept: US President Donald Trump has reportedly urged the European Union (EU) to join Washington in imposing tariffs of up to 100 per cent on India and China, citing their role as major importers of Russian crude oil. The proposal, aimed at tightening pressure on Moscow to end its war in Ukraine, was made during a Tuesday meeting between senior US and EU officials in Washington, according to The Financial Times.
Quoting a US official, the report said: “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.” Another official added that Washington was prepared to “mirror” any tariffs imposed by the EU on New Delhi and Beijing, which could result in a sharp escalation of duties on imports from both countries.
Trump has already raised tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent, while duties on Chinese exports currently stand at 30 per cent. The President reportedly told officials that the “obvious approach” was to impose “dramatic tariffs” and maintain them until Beijing halts purchases of Russian oil.
The demand comes amid frustration in Washington over the difficulty of achieving a ceasefire in Ukraine, despite Trump’s earlier claims that he could broker peace “within hours” of taking office. On Sunday, he threatened additional sanctions after Russia launched its largest aerial assault on Ukraine. He has also warned of penalising countries purchasing Russian oil.
So far, India has been subjected to secondary sanctions over its energy imports, while China has not been specifically targeted. Trump earlier raised tariffs on Chinese goods in April but rolled some back in May after market backlash.
The proposal also comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the SCO summit. Observers noted the apparent contradiction with Trump’s own statement on Tuesday, in which he struck a conciliatory tone on trade with New Delhi.
Posting on Truth Social, he wrote: “I am pleased to announce that India and the United States of America are continuing negotiations to address the Trade Barriers between our two Nations. I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming weeks. I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our Great Countries!”
