US President Donald Trump has urged the European Union to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on India and China. He believes this move will increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a Reuters report quoting a US official and an EU diplomat.

The request was delivered through a conference call with EU sanctions envoy David O’Sullivan and other senior EU officials. An EU delegation is currently in Washington to discuss sanctions coordination with the US.

US Signals Willingness to Match EU Action

According to the EU diplomat, the US indicated it was ready to introduce similar tariffs if the EU followed through with the proposal.

This marks a potential shift in EU policy. So far, the bloc has focused on isolating Russia through direct sanctions instead of tariffs. A report by The Financial Times revealed that European capitals are considering secondary sanctions on countries like India and China for continuing to buy Russian oil and gas.

However, many EU nations are hesitant because of their strong trade relationships with Beijing and New Delhi.

China, India Strengthen Ties With Russia

The push from Trump comes shortly after Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reinforced their partnership at a summit last week.

Both China and India remain key buyers of Russian oil. Trump has repeatedly criticized these purchases and has often threatened tariffs as punishment. He has already imposed a 25 percent penalty tariff on India in the past.

Trump Criticizes Europe’s Energy Dependence on Russia

Trump has also expressed frustration that European countries have not fully cut ties with Russia. Last year, Russia supplied about 19 percent of the EU’s gas imports. The EU has pledged to completely end its reliance on Russian energy, but Trump has pressed them to move faster.

Signs of US-India Trade Cooperation

Despite his tough stance, Trump recently hinted at improving trade relations with India.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, he said the US and India were working to resolve trade barriers. He also mentioned that he looked forward to speaking with Prime Minister Modi soon.