Trump’s sanctions on India intended to influence Russia-Ukraine talks, says White House

Earlier this month, Trump imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods, including a 25 percent penalty specifically linked to its purchases of Russian crude and defence equipment.

US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on India, raising them from 25 percent to 50 percent, with the sole aim of exerting pressure on Russia owing to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the White House stated late Tuesday evening.

The move, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, is part of a broader strategy to encourage Moscow to negotiate a resolution to the war.

“President Trump has taken decisive steps to bring this war to a close, including sanctions on India and other measures,” Leavitt said during a press briefing. “He has made it clear that he wants to see the war end swiftly and does not support delaying meetings or negotiations.”

Earlier this month, Trump imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods, including a 25 percent penalty specifically linked to its purchases of Russian crude and defence equipment.

Notably, Leavitt's statement comes a few hours after Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, where the two leaders discussed potential talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump, following his meeting with the Ukrainian leader and other European leaders, indicated his intent to facilitate a trilateral discussion between the US, Ukraine, and Russia, while Zelensky described their White House conversation as the “best conversation” he has had with the US President.

Leavitt, during the press briefing, mentioned that Trump is actively working with both Moscow and Kyiv to ensure a bilateral meeting occurs, noting that the presence of European leaders, including NATO’s Secretary General, at the White House shortly after Trump’s meeting with Putin reflects progress in diplomatic coordination.

“The President provided a detailed readout of Russia’s position to European leaders within 48 hours of his meeting with Putin,” she noted. “This kind of immediate engagement demonstrates his commitment to ending the war, something the previous administration did not do.”

Earlier in the day, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in an interview with CNBC, called India’s oil trade with Moscow “unacceptable,” accusing New Delhi of profiteering from discounted Russian supplies.

Defending Trump’s selective targeting of India and not China, he argued that Beijing’s reliance on Russian energy was relatively stable, while India had rapidly expanded its imports. “Before the invasion, less than 1 per cent of India’s oil came from Russia. Now it’s up to 42 per cent,” he noted.

Prior to this, too, Bessent had hinted at the possibility of secondary tariffs, depending on the outcome of Trump’s recent meeting with Russia Putin in Alaska, which ended without a breakthrough.

New Delhi has, however, pushed back strongly against Washington's accusations, calling them “unjustified and unreasonable.”

In a strong statement earlier this month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said New Delhi was safeguarding its economic security and highlighted that Western nations themselves continue to import from Russia.

“Europe imports energy, fertilizers, mining products, iron and steel, and transport equipment. The US still buys uranium hexafluoride, palladium, fertilizers, and chemicals,” the MEA had noted, adding that India only turned to Russian oil after Europe diverted its traditional supplies following the conflict.

India, the world’s third-largest oil consumer, imports nearly 88 percent of its energy needs. Since the Ukraine war began, Russian oil has risen to almost 40 percent of India’s basket, making Moscow one of its top suppliers.