The European Union will not implement the US President Donald Trump's suggestion of "100% tariffs" against India and China for their Russian oil imports, Reuters reported, quoting EU officials.
An EU delegation, which included the bloc's chief sanctions envoy on Russia, traveled to Washington this week to discuss how to coordinate responses to Moscow after it invaded Ukraine in full.
Though, EU officials clarified that tariffs are handled differently from sanctions in Europe because they are imposed only after extended investigations to ascertain a firm legal basis.
"So far, there has been no discussion of tariffs, either on India or on China," said one EU diplomat, adding that the EU is in the final stages of negotiating a trade agreement with India and would be wary of jeopardizing it.
Another EU official cautioned that such sweeping tariffs would involve a high degree of risk. They indicated that it makes more sense to target sanctions towards certain entities while keeping it possible to suspend measures if those entities cease conducting business with Russia.
Trump, according to Reuters, called on the EU to consider tariffs of up to 100% on China and India to put maximum pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin who is banking on oil revenues to finance the war in Ukraine.
The European Commission did not comment on the matter.
The EU has already placed sweeping sanctions on Russia, and in July it widened restrictions to two Chinese banks and one large Indian refinery. To date, tariffs associated with the conflict in Ukraine have only been imposed on Russian and Belarusian fertilizers and farm produce to prevent damaging dependencies and safeguard European producers.
Indications of a friendlier tone in US-India trade relations
By Wednesday, Trump had eased his approach towards India, hinting at a desire to refurbish trade relations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi replied that Indian and US delegations are working enthusiastically to conclude a trade deal that would realise the full potential of their bilateral relationship.
This exchange marked the second friendly interaction between the two leaders on social media in four days, despite earlier tensions after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50% in response to New Delhi’s purchase of Russian energy. The leaders, who last spoke by phone in June, also expressed interest in another conversation soon.
On Tuesday on Truth Social, Trump posted, "India and the United States are ongoing negotiations to resolve the Trade Barriers between our two Countries."
He added: “I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming weeks. I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our Great Countries!”
Modi, in turn, described India and the U.S. as “close friends and natural partners” in a social media message. He wrote: “I am confident that our trade negotiations will pave the way for unlocking the limitless potential of the India-US partnership.
“Our teams are working to conclude these discussions at the earliest. I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump. We will work together to secure a brighter, more prosperous future for both our people.”
The latest comments come after their earlier exchange on Saturday, when Modi had reiterating Trump's "positive evaluation" of bilateral relations after the president informed reporters that he would "always be friends" with Modi and emphasized the "special relationship" between their nations. That encounter was the first such positive interaction since their telephone conversation on June 17.
Read also| EU Moves to Impose New Sanctions on Russia, Increase Support for Ukraine
Read also| Nepal PM KP Oli steps down following violent anti-corruption protests: Report
