Donald Trump has called on the European Union (EU) to hit China and India with tariffs of up to 100% to force Russian president Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
Separately, Trump told reporters on Tuesday that he plans to talk to Putin on a call this week or early next week.
China and India are major buyers of Russian oil, which helps to keep the country’s economy and war machine afloat.
If the EU does impose the tariffs on China and India it would mark a change to its approach of attempting to isolate Russia with sanctions rather than levies.
I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump,” he added.
Donald Trump has demanded that in order to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the war in Ukraine, the European Union (EU) impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on China and India.
When US and EU officials met Tuesday to discuss ways to put more economic pressure on Russia, the US president made the demand, a source familiar with the talks told the BBC.
Trump is having difficulty negotiating a peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv, and Russia’s attacks on Ukraine have escalated. Trump had previously promised to put an end to the conflict on “day one” of taking office.
On Tuesday, Trump also informed reporters that he would like to speak with Putin over the phone either this week or early next week.
Russian oil is purchased in large quantities by China and India, which supports the nation’s economy and military.
A 50 percent tariff on Indian goods was imposed by the United States last month, along with a 25 percent penalty for its dealings with Russia.
Approximately 19 percent of the EU’s natural gas imports still originate in Russia, despite the EU’s declaration that it would no longer rely on Russian energy.
The European Union’s strategy of trying to isolate Russia through sanctions rather than levies would change if it were to impose tariffs on China and India.
First reported by the Financial Times, Trump’s request to the EU comes after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that Washington was ready to increase economic pressure but required more European support.
The Russian missile strike on Ukraine’s main government building in Kyiv over the weekend was interpreted by the Kremlin as a significant increase in aggression as well as symbolic.
The nationwide attacks were the most intense aerial barrage on Ukraine since the start of the conflict. Ukraine claimed that at least 810 drones and 13 missiles were used by Russian forces.
More than 20 civilians were killed by a Russian glide bomb on Tuesday while they were waiting in line to get their pensions in the eastern Donbas region.
Trump declared that he was “not happy with the whole situation” and threatened to impose more severe sanctions on the Kremlin.
The president of the United States has previously promised more severe sanctions against Russia, but he has done nothing in spite of Putin’s disregard for his deadlines and charges.
Last month, the leaders’ eagerly awaited summit in Alaska ended without a peace agreement.
Additionally, Trump stated on Tuesday that the United States and India were “continuing negotiations to address the trade barriers” between the two nations.
He wrote on social media that he anticipates a “successful conclusion” to their trade talks and that he will be speaking with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the upcoming weeks.
Reiterating Trump’s hope that the negotiations would be fruitful, Modi responded that the two nations were “natural partners and close friends.”. “.
“Our teams are trying to wrap up these conversations as soon as possible. “I am also excited to talk to President Trump,” he continued.
After their trade negotiations collapsed, some have interpreted Trump’s remarks as the most recent indication of a reconciliation between Washington and Delhi.
“There is nothing to be concerned about,” Trump said last week, highlighting the “special relationship” between the US and India. Sometimes we just have moments.
