Trump urges EU to impose 100 pc tariffs on India, China to put pressure on Putin

US President Donald Trump has called on the European Union (EU) to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on China and India as part of his bid to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin into ending the war in Ukraine, according to a BBC report, citing a source familiar with the discussions.

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Trump urges EU tariffs on India, China

The demand, first reported by the Financial Times, was made during a meeting with US and EU officials on Tuesday (September 9), where options to tighten economic pressure on Moscow were under discussion.

Trump’s push comes as his efforts to broker a peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv have intensified, with Russian strikes on Ukraine escalating in recent days.

He also told reporters on Tuesday that he intends to have a phone call with Putin either this week or early next week.

Trump has previously threatened harsher measures against Russia, but has not taken any action despite Putin ignoring his deadlines and threats of sanctions.

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Shift in strategy

Trump’s request to the European Union follows remarks from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said Washington was prepared to escalate sanctions but needed stronger backing from Europe.

China and India remain major purchasers of Russian oil, which Trump argues is keeping the Russian economy afloat. Last month, the US slapped a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, which included a 25 per cent penalty tied to India’s purchase of Russian oil.

Although the EU has pledged to end its dependence on Russian energy, around 19 per cent of its natural gas imports still come from Russia.

If the EU agrees to Trump’s tariff proposal, it would mark a shift from its existing strategy of sanctioning Moscow directly rather than targeting its key trading partners with trade levies.

Also Read: Navarro now terms India’s purchases of Russian oil as ‘blood money’

Russian airstrikes on Ukraine

Meanwhile, a Russian missile struck a key government building in Kyiv over the weekend, in what was seen as both symbolic and a major increase of aggression by the Kremlin.

The recent Russian attacks across the country marked the heaviest aerial bombardment on Ukraine since the war began.

Ukrainian authorities reported that Russia launched at least 810 drones and 13 missiles, while on Tuesday, a glide bomb attack killed over 20 civilians in the Donbas region as they queued for pension payments.

Speaking after the weekend air raids on Ukraine, Trump said he was "not happy with the whole situation" and warned of harsher sanctions against the Kremlin.

A widely-anticipated summit between Trump and Putin in Alaska last month ended without progress towards a peace deal.