President Donald Trump is orchestrating a coordinated economic squeeze on Russia’s key allies, proposing that the United States and the European Union jointly impose tariffs of up to 100% on India and China. The goal is to make it prohibitively expensive for these nations to continue their trade relationships with Moscow, thereby undermining Vladimir Putin’s ability to fund his war in Ukraine. The ambitious plan was put forth to a visiting EU delegation led by sanctions chief David O’Sullivan.
This strategy marks a significant escalation, moving from direct sanctions on Russia to secondary measures against its major trade partners. Frustrated by the lack of a diplomatic breakthrough and spurred by Russia’s ongoing drone assaults, the Trump administration is seeking a more forceful approach. However, a US official noted that this plan is entirely dependent on transatlantic unity, stating the US will only act if “our European partners step up with us.”
The focus on New Delhi and Beijing comes after Putin hosted a summit to strengthen his ties with both. In a precursor to this new proposal, the US had already increased tariffs on Indian imports to 50% as a penalty for buying Russian oil. Despite this punitive action, President Trump continues to engage in separate trade negotiations with India, expressing optimism about reaching a mutually beneficial agreement.
The entire policy, however, rests on a precarious legal foundation. The US Supreme Court is set to rule on the legality of Trump’s tariffs after lower courts found he had exceeded his authority. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has publicly stated his confidence in winning the case, while also admitting that a defeat would trigger massive refunds, a development he called “terrible for the treasury.”
A Coordinated Squeeze: Trump Asks EU to Target India and China with 100% Tariffs
