The United States is considering expanding tariffs on countries that purchase Russian oil—particularly China and India—in a bid to choke off Moscow’s financial lifeline for the war in Ukraine.
A senior US official told AFP that Washington would only move forward if the European Union (EU) agrees to join the effort. The discussions took place as EU sanctions envoy David O’Sullivan led a delegation to Washington on September 8 and 9.
According to the official, former President Donald Trump floated the idea of imposing tariffs as high as 50 to 100 percent. Trump personally joined the talks on September 9, alongside the Ukrainian Prime Minister.
“The primary funding for Russia’s war machine comes from oil sales to China and India,” the US official said. “If that flow isn’t cut off, there’s no way to stop Moscow’s war machine.”
The discussions also included Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, as well as officials from the US Trade Representative’s office and the State Department. While Trump is ready to act, the official emphasized that EU support is crucial.
Another US official noted that Trump does have legislative authority to impose secondary tariffs on countries trading with Russia. However, the official questioned whether the European Parliament would be willing to take such steps.
Beyond tariffs, the talks also touched on frozen Russian sovereign assets. Trump recently threatened fresh sanctions against Moscow after Russia carried out its largest airstrike on Ukraine since the start of the war. He also warned that nations buying Russian oil could face punishment, saying the aim was to cut off President Vladimir Putin’s key source of revenue.
So far, India is the only country to face secondary sanctions.
“We want this taken seriously. We want the war to end. That’s why we’re urging our European partners to act quickly,” said the US official.
The EU is now drafting its 19th sanctions package since Russia’s invasion in 2022. This round is expected to include more secondary sanctions against countries helping Moscow evade restrictions. Diplomats say Germany and France are pushing to target Russian oil giant Lukoil.
Following the September 8 meeting, Treasury Secretary Bessent wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that “all options remain on the table” as part of Trump’s strategy to back peace negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv.
The Treasury Department has not yet commented on the September 9 discussions.
