Washington/Brussels, September 11: President Donald Trump has signaled he is willing to impose sweeping new tariffs on China and India if European allies take similar steps, in a bid to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage in peace talks with Ukraine, people familiar with the discussions said.
Trump made the proposal in a call with senior U.S. and EU officials in Washington, according to people briefed on the meeting who requested anonymity. The U.S. would match tariffs levied by Europe on either country, one official said.
The idea poses a challenge for the European Union, where decisions on sanctions require unanimous backing and some members, including Hungary, have previously blocked tougher measures against Russia’s energy sector. Officials also discussed additional steps targeting Russia’s shadow oil tanker fleet, banks, financial system and major energy companies.
The suggestion comes after Trump’s deadline for Putin to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy passed without progress. Instead, Russia intensified its assault, with a strike on Tuesday killing at least two dozen pensioners collecting payments in eastern Ukraine.
Trump has so far refrained from directly penalizing Russia, even after repeated self-imposed deadlines. He has, however, doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50% over New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian crude. On Tuesday, Trump said on social media the U.S. and India were negotiating to resolve trade disputes and that he expected to speak soon with his “good friend” Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The tariff warning also contrasts with Trump’s softer approach to China in recent months, as he seeks to stabilize ties and pursue a potential summit with President Xi Jinping. Last month, he extended a pause on higher tariffs until November, easing tensions with Beijing.
Analysts warned that escalating trade measures risk destabilizing U.S. supply chains, which rely heavily on Chinese exports, including magnets critical to electronics and defense. Any move could complicate preparations for a possible Trump–Xi meeting next month on the sidelines of a summit in South Korea.
China’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday rejected Trump’s comments, with spokesman Lin Jian saying Beijing maintained an “objective and fair stance” on the war in Ukraine. “China is not the creator of this crisis, nor is it a party involved,” he said. “We firmly oppose using China to make excuses and exerting so-called economic pressure.”
Russia last week announced a long-delayed agreement with China on the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, underscoring deepening ties. Photos of Xi, Putin and Modi holding hands at a summit in Tianjin further highlighted their alignment, complicating Western efforts to isolate Moscow.
