To End a War, Trump Proposes a Trade War on Russia’s Biggest Backers

In a paradoxical move, President Donald Trump is proposing to start a massive trade war in order to end a military one. His plan calls for the United States and the European Union to impose crippling 100% tariffs on Russia’s biggest economic backers, India and China. The strategy is to make their support for Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine too costly to continue.
This proposal, made to EU officials in Washington, marks a significant escalation in the West’s economic campaign against Russia. The Trump administration has signaled it is ready to act but is insisting on a united front with Europe. This conditional approach is designed to maximize the economic impact and share the political risk.
The timing of this move follows a summit where Putin celebrated his strong ties with both Indian and Chinese leaders, highlighting the very relationships the US now seeks to disrupt. The US has already taken a step in this direction, slapping a 50% tariff on Indian imports over its Russian oil trade.
However, the entire strategy is overshadowed by a major legal challenge at home. The US Supreme Court is poised to rule on the constitutionality of the president’s tariff powers. An unfavorable verdict would not only derail this new plan but would also trigger massive refunds, a scenario the Treasury Secretary has described as “terrible” for the nation’s finances.