Will US impose 100% tariffs on countries purchasing Russian energy? Trump REVEALS his plans amid Witkoff's Moscow visit

United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday (Aug 6) clarified his ‘penalty’ announcement on countries trading with Russia, stating that he has not yet specified a percentage. He had previously said that countries trading with Russia will face additional tariffs as a ‘penalty’ for engaging with Moscow, despite US sanctions. The US president made the remarks during a press conference at the White House, originally called to discuss the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The POTUS was asked about imposing a 100% tariff on countries buying Russian energy.

Trump responded, "I never said a percentage, but we'll be doing quite a bit of that. We'll see what happens over the next fairly short period of time... We have a meeting with Russia tomorrow. We're going to see what happens..." He was also asked about America's trade with Russia amid his threat to India for buying Russian oil. The POTUS seemed to dodge the question and said that he is not aware of his country's imports from Russia. Trump has been issuing multiple warnings to India since last week over its trade with Moscow, adding that he would impose very substantial tariff "over the next 24 hours.” Last week, he had also called India and Russia's economy ‘dead.’

Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is in Moscow days before the US president’s deadline on Friday for Russia to make progress on ending the war in Ukraine. When asked what message Witkoff would take to Russia and what Vladimir Putin could do to avoid new sanctions, the US president answered: “Yeah, get a deal where people stop getting killed.” US president's statement hints that he would take the decision after Witkoff's meeting with Russian leaders.

India's response to Trump's continuous threats

New Delhi, in its response to the White House, argued that it was the US that had encouraged India to buy oil from Russia after the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, as such purchases helped stabilise global energy markets. “Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.” “We make decisions based on the price at which oil is available in the international market, and depending on the global situation at that time,” Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson of the MEA, told journalists in New Delhi on Friday. The MEA statement also highlighted that the US and Europe import several items from Russia while they continue to demand the suspension of India-Russia trade. “Where the United States is concerned, it continues to import from Russia uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for its EV industry, fertilisers as well as chemicals…Europe-Russia trade includes not just energy, but also fertilisers, mining products, chemicals, iron and steel and machinery and transport equipment.,” the statement said.