Trump's New Move to Pressurize Russia

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has called on the European Union to impose tariffs of up to 100% on China and India in an effort to increase economic pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and bring an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Trump made the demand during a U.S.-EU meeting held on Tuesday.

The meeting primarily focused on exploring additional measures to escalate economic pressure on Russia as the war in Ukraine intensifies. Trump, who is currently struggling to broker a peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv, floated the proposal as a strategic move to isolate Russia financially.

The former president told reporters that he is not satisfied with the current situation and hinted at imposing tougher sanctions on the Kremlin. He also revealed plans to speak with President Putin over the phone either later this week or early next week.

The urgency of Trump's proposal follows a series of deadly Russian attacks across Ukraine, including a symbolic missile strike last week on a key government building in the capital, Kyiv. Ukrainian officials report that Russia has launched at least 810 drones and 13 missiles in recent days.

On Tuesday, over 20 civilians were killed in the eastern Donbas region after a Russian glide bomb targeted a line of people waiting to collect pensions.

Despite Trump’s repeated threats of harsh sanctions, Putin has largely ignored the ultimatums. Their much-anticipated meeting last month in Alaska ended without any peace agreement.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bassent reiterated Washington’s readiness to intensify economic pressure but stressed the need for strong European support to make any new measures effective.

In a related development, Trump also addressed ongoing trade negotiations between the U.S. and India. He announced on his Truth Social platform that he plans to speak with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the coming weeks and hopes for a positive resolution to the trade barriers between the two countries.

Responding to Trump's message, Prime Minister Modi expressed optimism, calling the U.S. and India “close friends and natural partners.” He said both sides are working diligently to conclude the negotiations and that he looks forward to speaking with President Trump soon.

It is worth noting that China and India are among the largest buyers of Russian oil, which continues to fuel Russia’s economy amid Western sanctions. Last month, the United States imposed a 50% tariff on several Indian goods, including an additional 25% penalty related to India’s ongoing trade with Russia.

Meanwhile, the European Union has vowed to reduce its dependency on Russian energy, though approximately 19% of its natural gas imports still come from Russia. If the EU follows through with Trump’s proposed tariffs on China and India, it would mark a significant shift in strategy—moving from traditional sanctions against Russia to broader trade penalties aimed at its economic partners.