Trump Seeks EU Alliance for “Maximum Pressure” Tariffs on India and China

President Donald Trump is seeking a powerful alliance with the European Union to apply “maximum pressure” on Russia’s economic partners, proposing joint tariffs of up to 100% on India and China. This strategy is designed to indirectly cripple Russia’s war machine by targeting the countries that have helped it withstand Western sanctions. The proposal was a key topic of discussion between senior US and EU officials this week.
The call for such extreme measures comes as Trump grows increasingly frustrated with his inability to broker a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine. In the wake of intensified Russian drone attacks, the administration is pushing for a more muscular economic response. A US official stated the plan is ready for immediate implementation but is wholly contingent on European participation.
This move is a direct challenge to the coalition Vladimir Putin has been building with Beijing and New Delhi. The US has already taken punitive action against India, hitting its imports with a 50% tariff for purchasing Russian oil. By inviting the EU to join a much broader campaign, Trump aims to create an economic front that would be impossible for Moscow’s allies to ignore.
This aggressive foreign policy push is happening while the administration’s legal authority to set tariffs is being actively contested. The Supreme Court will soon hear the case, and a negative outcome would have severe financial consequences. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that a loss would force the government to refund a substantial portion of all tariffs collected, a major blow to the US Treasury.