It looks like President Donald Trump is trying to get the European Union (EU) to turn on India and China. Trump has called on the EU to hit China and India with tariffs of up to 100% to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
A source familiar with the discussions has told the BBC that the U.S. president made the demand during a meeting between U.S. and EU officials on Tuesday discussing options to increase economic pressure on Russia.
Trump, who previously pledged to end the conflict on “day one” of becoming president, is struggling to broker a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv, and Russia’s strikes on Ukraine have intensified.
This year, Trump took a hard stance against India and China due to their ongoing economic ties with Russia amidst the conflict in Ukraine. On July 30, Trump announced a 25% tariff on Indian goods, effective Aug. 1, citing India’s continued imports of Russian oil as undermining U.S. sanctions and security interests. Shortly after, on Aug. 6, he signed an executive order imposing an additional 25% penalty, raising the total tariff burden on many Indian exports to 50%. India condemned the tariffs as unfair and harmful, defending its energy policies as essential for its population of over 1.4 billion people.
READ: EU ready to retaliate with 30% tariffs in response to Trump (
These tariffs have hit several key Indian export sectors hard, including textiles, jewelry, footwear, chemicals, and seafood, particularly in major manufacturing hubs such as Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Tiruppur, and Surat. Indian government officials acknowledge the economic pain but expect recent tax reforms and relief measures to partially offset the impact. The Chief Economic Adviser estimated that the tariffs could reduce India’s GDP growth by around 0.2% to 0.3%, less severe than initially feared. In response, the Indian government is formulating relief packages with tax breaks and credit support for exporters to cushion the blow.
On the global stage, President Trump has encouraged the European Union to join the U.S. in imposing even higher tariffs, up to 100%, on imports from India and China, aiming to pressure both countries to cut their ties with Russia.
READ: US ‘very close’ to finalize trade deal with India (
Despite these trade tensions, Trump has expressed willingness to engage in dialogue with India, indicating ongoing negotiations and a potential meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reset the trade relationship. Trump also said on Tuesday that the U.S. and India were “continuing negotiations to address the trade barriers” between the two countries.
For the European Union, aligning with the U.S. on imposing steep tariffs against India and China could deepen divisions in global trade partnerships, potentially straining its own economic interests with these major markets. For India and China, these tariffs represent not only economic challenges, especially in key export sectors, but also diplomatic pressure to reconsider their strategic ties with Russia. This could push them to seek alternative alliances and reinforce their efforts toward economic self-reliance. For the United States, Trump’s aggressive tariff policies and calls for greater international coordination demonstrate a strategy aimed at isolating Russia economically, but also risk escalating trade tensions and disrupting long-standing trade relationships.