Trump won’t impose 100 percent Russia trade tariffs
(MENAFN) is hesitant to risk further straining relations with China, given the scale of Beijing’s trade with Moscow.
Earlier this week, during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump expressed frustration with Russia and warned of tariffs of up to 100% on any country continuing trade with Moscow unless a Ukraine peace deal is reached within 50 days.
Experts interviewed by NYT questioned the seriousness of Trump’s threat, pointing out that China-Russia trade now exceeds $245 billion annually, including significant oil exports. Imposing such tariffs could spark a major confrontation with Beijing, something Trump is seen as unwilling to risk over Ukraine — a country he has repeatedly said is not critical to U.S. interests.
The report also highlighted Trump’s history of making threats and setting deadlines that often go unmet, casting further doubt on whether these tariffs will materialize within the suggested timeframe.
During his remarks alongside Rutte, Trump also said the U.S. would supply weapons to Ukraine through NATO, with European allies footing the bill. He framed this move as both a business opportunity for U.S. arms manufacturers and a strategy to increase pressure on Russia.
Beijing has strongly criticized the tariff proposal, calling it an “illegal unilateral sanction” that damages diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict. China remains Russia’s largest trading partner and has consistently opposed unilateral Western sanctions, instead offering to mediate a ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov dismissed the potential impact of such secondary sanctions, stating they would not alter Moscow’s policies. Russia maintains that sanctions are harming Western nations more than itself.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
