White House Urges Europe to Mirror India Tariffs Over Russian Oil, Sources Say
WASHINGTON D.C. - August 30, 2025 – The White House is reportedly pressing European leaders to impose tariffs on India similar to those enacted by President Donald Trump, due to new Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil, according to sources within the Oval Office. This escalation comes as tensions rise over accusations that India is “fuelling” Russia‘s war in Ukraine by providing financial support to Moscow through these oil imports.
The push for reciprocal tariffs follows the implementation of 50 percent tariffs on India levied by President Trump, a move New Delhi has protested as hypocritical, pointing to China’s larger purchases of Russian oil and continued European energy imports from Moscow without similar penalties. India has also called out what it perceives as a double standard, noting that neither Beijing nor European nations have faced the ”tariff treatment” it has been subjected to.
Sources indicate White House officials express growing frustration with european leaders, alleging they are publicly supporting President Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine while simultaneously working to undermine behind-the-scenes progress made since the Trump-Putin Alaska summit. Specifically, the White House believes some European leaders are encouraging ukrainian President Zelensky to demand unrealistic territorial concessions from Russia, a strategy Trump’s inner circle argues has prolonged the conflict.
While the US has been critical of India’s oil purchases from Russia, accusing the nation of “profiteering,” most European countries have remained largely silent on the issue and have not publicly supported or opposed Trump’s tariff measures.Discussions regarding these tariffs and Russia’s war in Ukraine are expected to be central to upcoming talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin over the next two days.
