US President Donald Trump has turned his focus from India to his NATO allies, slamming them for buying Russian oil despite the ongoing Ukraine war. In a fiery post on Truth Social, Trump called these purchases “shocking” and said NATO’s support for winning the conflict isn’t fully committed.
Trump previously hit India with a 25% punitive tariff for purchasing Russian oil, on top of another 25% reciprocal tariff. But he’s given other buyers a pass—until now. “I’m ready to slap major sanctions on Russia, but only when all NATO nations agree and stop buying oil from Russia,” he wrote, emphasizing key words in all caps.
He went further, suggesting NATO should unite to impose 50% to 100% tariffs on China. Trump believes this would pressure Beijing to loosen its strong grip on Moscow and help end the “deadly but ridiculous” Russia-Ukraine war. “China has enormous influence over Russia—these powerful tariffs will break that grip,” he added, challenging NATO: “I’m ready to go when you are. Just say when.”
But experts say Trump’s threat against China might not hold water. Many NATO countries, like Turkey, rely heavily on Russian trade and are unlikely to quit anytime soon. Last year, the European Union (which includes 22 NATO members) traded $79.1 billion in goods with Russia, importing $42.13 billion—mostly fuel worth $26.17 billion. Turkey’s trade with Russia hit $52.6 billion, while India’s total trade was $68.7 billion, with $63.84 billion in imports.
This has sparked talk of double standards in US tariffs on Russian oil buyers. Trump’s nominee for US envoy to India, Sergio Gor, faced tough questions in a Senate hearing. When pressed, he replied, “Frankly, we expect more from India than from other nations.” Trump himself admitted on Fox News that the India tariff “causes a rift” and called it “not an easy thing to do—that’s a big deal.”
Despite the tension, India-US trade talks are moving forward. Trump noted earlier this month that negotiations continue. Gor mentioned that India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is set to visit Washington this week for meetings with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Things are getting down to the “nitty-gritty,” he said, hinting at progress amid the tariff drama.
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