President Trump is expected to announce new tariffs on Friday targeting nations that trade with Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Details of these potential tariffs have been scarce. In July, Trump initially suggested “100%” tariffs, but later created uncertainty by stating he “never said a percentage.”
The specific tax rates these nations could face remain unclear. However, Trump’s changed stance toward Russian President Putin has become increasingly apparent.
“Trump is frustrated that the Russians haven’t capitalized on his patience and generous offers. It’s interesting that even after Trump announced submarine movements and tough tariffs, the Russians still want to engage,” Fred Fleitz, a former Trump advisor, told Digital.
“Putin doesn’t want to anger Trump,” he added. “Putin never worried about angering Biden, which shows a degree of respect.”
“It demonstrates Trump’s achievements through global leadership. We’ll see what happens,” Fleitz said, hoping it wasn’t merely a stalling tactic by Putin.
Trump’s return to the White House initially caused shock as he seemed to prioritize relations with Putin over key European allies, culminating in a tense Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President .
This strengthened support from his base, who favor ending U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts, but raised concerns among security experts. Eventually, Trump’s patience with Putin waned due to the Kremlin’s continued attacks in Ukraine.
In mid-July, alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump announced Putin had or face “very severe” tariffs, impacting Moscow’s primary commodity: oil.
“Tariffs at about 100%, you’d call them secondary tariffs,” he stated, implying nations trading with Russia would face when trading with the U.S.
According to , this would most significantly affect China and India, who are projected to account for 46% of Russian oil purchases in 2025.
However, the U.S. is also the top export market for both , meaning higher prices for their products could deter American consumers.
Following ongoing trade negotiations and Putin’s continued war in Ukraine, Trump moved his deadline to of July 29, setting a new deadline for this Friday.
While some Republicans, like Sen. Lindsey Graham, support the promised tariffs, with Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-N.Y., advocating for , other Republican members haven’t supported the move.
Sen. Rand Paul has strongly opposed not only but also the bipartisan sanction efforts, arguing that Trump’s tariffs on allies and adversaries will cost American consumers $2 trillion.
Fleitz countered this argument, suggesting that Russia and India are more likely to suffer economically than the U.S. or China.
“I think they’re going to hurt the Russian and Indian economies,” he said, suggesting India could find alternative oil sources, even though reports indicate that India may have by increasing Russian oil imports during 2022-2024 due to discounted prices.
“It will add pressure on Putin to agree to a ceasefire, possibly soon or in a few months. It will inflict real pain on Russia,” Fleitz stated.
Former Trump ally, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, this week, criticizing Trump’s plan to enforce tariffs on India for buying Russian oil. She suggested ending Indian H1-B visas and halting funding for the “Obama/Biden/Neocon Ukraine Russia war.”
Trump’s shift toward Ukraine and European allies has also , though security experts believe it gives him greater leverage against adversaries like Putin and China.
“Diplomacy and negotiations are positive,” said Fleitz. “Peacemaking requires time, and the U.S.-Russia relationship was in a dire state when Trump took office.”
“These sanctions will severely harm Russia,” Fleitz added. “Trump’s awareness that secondary sanctions on India have strained our relationship demonstrates his commitment to these sanctions.”
“There will be no exceptions or loopholes. It’s not going to be a soft strategy,” he concluded. “It shows Putin how serious Trump is, giving Trump leverage in negotiations.”
“`