The United States is prepared to expand tariffs on purchasers of Russian oil—contingent upon similar actions from the EU—to undermine the revenue that Moscow needs to continue its military efforts in Ukraine, a U.S. representative informed AFP.
During a conference call with U.S. and EU officials on Tuesday, President Donald Trump suggested the possibility of imposing tariffs ranging from 50% to 100% on oil buyers like China and India, according to the representative, who requested anonymity while discussing sensitive details.
These discussions coincide with the visit of EU sanctions envoy David O’Sullivan, who has been instrumental in the bloc’s global initiatives to prevent Russia from circumventing sanctions, as he leads a delegation in Washington for meetings taking place on Monday and Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Trump participated in these discussions alongside the Prime Minister of Ukraine, according to the U.S. official.
“The primary source of funding for the Russian military machine is the oil purchases from China and India,” the official pointed out. “Without addressing the source of these funds, halting the war machine will be impossible.”
Participants in the talks also included Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and representatives from the U.S. Trade Representative’s office and the State Department.
However, the government official emphasized that Trump is “prepared to take action,” but he believes that “the EU must align with us.”
In addition to the potential tariffs, which are Trump’s favored approach, officials also deliberated on the matter of immobilized Russian sovereign assets.
On Sunday, Trump had warned of additional sanctions on Russia following its largest aerial assault on Ukraine to date.
He has also threatened to impose penalties on nations that purchase Russian oil in an effort to cut off a critical revenue stream for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military activities. Thus far, he has only applied secondary sanctions against India.
“We are serious about this. We want to bring this war to an end, and we are strongly urging our European allies to take decisive action,” the U.S. official remarked on Tuesday.
The European Union is preparing to implement another set of sanctions against Russia, marking the 19th such package since the invasion in 2022. The EU has indicated that this round should incorporate additional secondary sanctions aimed at countries that assist Moscow in avoiding punishment.
Reports indicate that Germany and France are advocating for sanctions against the Russian oil giant Lukoil as part of the upcoming EU measures.
Bessent shared on X following Monday’s discussions that “all options remain open” as part of Trump’s strategy to facilitate peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv.
The Treasury Department did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding Tuesday’s conversations.
