Trump Walks Back on Tariff Threats, But Keeps Pressure on Countries Trading with Russia

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he never specified the exact tariff rate he would impose on countries conducting business with Russia, signaling some flexibility amid rising global tensions over the Ukraine conflict.

“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,” Trump told reporters at a press conference.

The clarification comes just days after Trump imposed 25% tariffs on Indian imports and criticized India for being Russia’s “largest buyer of energy,” including oil and arms. He also warned of more penalties unless there was a shift in energy trade ties.

Trump confirmed a high-level meeting with Russian officials is scheduled for Wednesday, after which a final decision on imposing so-called “secondary sanctions” on nations buying Russian energy — including India and China — would be made.

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Moscow this week for talks with Russian leadership, amid speculation that Washington may escalate its pressure campaign unless Russia makes progress toward peace in Ukraine.

Last month, Trump threatened 100% tariffs on Russian goods and warned of sweeping “secondary tariffs” on countries purchasing oil from Moscow, demanding a peace agreement within 50 days. As his August 1 deadline approached, the White House slapped 25% tariffs on India but offered no clarity on additional penalties.

India Pushes Back

India has pushed back firmly, defending its trade ties with Russia. Citing US-Russia trade — particularly in critical imports such as uranium hexafluoride, fertilizers, and chemicals — New Delhi accused Washington and Brussels of double standards.

When asked about India’s argument, Trump responded, “I don’t know anything about it, I’d have to check, but we’ll get back to you on that.”

In the face of US pressure, India and Russia have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening defence cooperation. According to a Russian defence ministry statement following a meeting between Indian Ambassador Vinay Kumar and Russian Deputy Defence Minister Col-Gen Alexander Fomin, both sides expressed intent to further strengthen their “particularly privileged strategic partnership.”

India’s foreign ministry also defended its energy strategy, saying Russian imports were pursued only after Western sanctions disrupted global supply chains.

“At that time, the United States actively encouraged such imports by India to help stabilize global energy markets,” the ministry stated.

According to Reuters, India emerged as one of Russia’s top energy partners, purchasing over $50.2 billion worth of oil in the 2024–25 fiscal year.