The United States has urged the European Union and G7 member states to impose tariffs on China and India over their continued purchases of Russian oil.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant made the appeal during a phone call with G7 finance ministers on Friday, saying allied nations should join Washington in placing tariffs on buyers of Russian oil.
In a joint statement with the U.S. Trade Representative, Besant stressed: “Only through a united effort that cuts off Putin’s war machine at its financial roots can we exert enough economic pressure to end this senseless killing.”
The two officials welcomed commitments made during the call to strengthen sanctions and consider using frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine.
A Treasury spokesperson also called on the EU and G7 countries to impose “meaningful tariffs” on Chinese and Indian imports, framing it as a way to pressure both nations to scale back their purchases of Russian oil.
President Donald Trump, who had already raised tariffs on Indian goods to 50 percent by adding a new 25 percent duty, warned that Vladimir Putin was “testing [his] patience.” Trump said sanctioning Russian banks and oil exports remains an option and urged European allies to participate. “We will have to act very, very decisively,” he declared.
Analysts note that Trump’s tariff policies have strained Washington’s relations with New Delhi, pushing India closer to U.S. rivals—a rift that could widen if new sanctions are introduced.
