The United States is prepared to expand its tariffs on purchasers of Russian oil if the European Union takes comparable actions, aiming to undermine the revenue that is crucial for Moscow’s military efforts in Ukraine, a U.S. official informed AFP.

During discussions between U.S. and EU representatives on Tuesday, President Donald Trump suggested the possibility of imposing tariffs ranging from 50% to 100% on oil consumers such as China and India, according to the official, who requested to remain unnamed due to the sensitive nature of the information.

These discussions take place as David O’Sullivan, the EU sanctions envoy leading global efforts to prevent Russia from circumventing sanctions, is heading a delegation in Washington for meetings on Monday and Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Trump participated in these discussions alongside Ukraine’s Prime Minister, said the U.S. official.

“The primary source of funding for the Russian war effort is oil purchases made by China and India,” the official stated. “Unless we target the revenue sources, we cannot halt the war machine.”

Joining the negotiations were Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and representatives from the U.S. Trade Representative’s office and the State Department.

However, the government official emphasized that while Trump is “eager to proceed,” he believes that “the EU needs to align with us.”

In addition to potential tariffs, which are Trump’s preferred course of action, officials also examined the status of frozen Russian sovereign assets.

Trump had warned on Sunday about the possibility of imposing additional sanctions on Russia following the Kremlin’s largest airstrike on Ukraine to date.

He has also indicated he might penalize countries that procure Russian oil, aiming to disrupt a significant funding stream for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military actions. Thus far, however, his punitive measures have primarily affected India through what are known as secondary sanctions.

“We are serious about this. We want to see an end to the war, and we are strongly urging our European allies to take action,” the U.S. official remarked on Tuesday.

The EU is in the process of preparing a new set of sanctions against Russia, marking its 19th package since the onset of Moscow’s invasion in 2022. They have indicated that this should involve additional secondary sanctions aimed at nations that assist Russia in evading punishment.

Diplomats mentioned on Monday that Germany and France are advocating for sanctions against the Russian oil giant Lukoil as part of this upcoming EU measures.

Bessent stated in a post on X after Monday’s meeting that “all options are still available” as part of Trump’s strategy to facilitate peace discussions between Moscow and Kyiv.

The Treasury Department did not promptly respond to inquiries regarding Tuesday’s discussions.