WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump has called on the European Union to impose tariffs of up to 100% on China and India in response to their continued purchases of Russian oil, according to a well-informed source.
If Europe follows through with the proposed tariffs, the U.S. may also impose similar penalties on both China and India, U.S. officials told The Post.
China and India are currently the largest buyers of Russian oil, which provides Moscow with significant revenue to fund its ongoing war in Ukraine. In July alone, China purchased over $7.2 billion worth of Russian fossil fuels, while India spent approximately $3.6 billion, according to data from the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
Trump has been actively pressing European allies over the last two weeks to sanction countries that continue to buy Russian oil and to stop importing Russian energy products altogether. While the U.S. itself does not directly purchase Russian oil, it has already imposed 50% tariffs on India related to its Russian oil imports but has refrained from sanctioning China so far.
The White House has also proposed secondary sanctions targeting all nations that continue to buy Russian oil, urging European countries to join these efforts.
The announcement came alongside Trump’s statement on Truth Social, where he said he plans to speak with his “very good friend,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the coming weeks.
