In a recent interview with Fox News Radio, US President Donald Trump said that the extra tariffs on India may have had a role in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to meet with him. Trump stated, “Everything has an effect,” and the tariffs “basically stopped them from buying oil from Russia.”
Earlier this month, Trump told India to pay higher tariffs on its goods, with some going up to 50%. This was meant to put pressure on New Delhi to stop buying Russian oil. This was part of Trump’s larger “global tariff offensive,” which he is employing to try to get Ukraine to agree to a peace deal.
Trump said that the tariffs “probably” had something to do with Putin’s choice when asked about them. “Of course, when you lose your second biggest customer and are likely to lose your first biggest customer, I think that probably has something to do with it,” he said.
India has become an important strategic partner for the US in its fight with China, but Trump’s policies have targeted India since it has a big trade surplus with the US and close relations with Russia. New Delhi branded the tariffs “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable” and promised to “take all actions necessary to protect its national interests.”
When asked if he would offer Russia “economic incentives” to end the fighting, Trump also said that he would not “play my hand in public.” He said again that his main goal is a “immediate peace deal.” If the meeting goes well, he would call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky right away to “get him over to wherever we are going to meet.” On Friday, August 15, Trump and Putin are supposed to meet.