EU rejects US request to impose tariffs on China and India for Russian oil

The European Union will not impose high tariffs on China and India, despite a request from US President Donald Trump, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing diplomatic sources.

According to the publication, the White House initiative was aimed at increasing pressure on Russia, but it was rejected in Brussels. European diplomats said that the EU does not use trade duties as a tool of sanctions policy, and the introduction of high tariffs would harm European companies.



At the same time, according to the WSJ, the European Union is considering the possibility of introducing sanctions against individual foreign companies, including Chinese ones, which help Russia bypass the restrictions. However, the EU is unlikely to take measures that would seriously reduce oil or gas purchases, due to the “political sensitivity” of this issue within the bloc.

Earlier, the media reported that Donald Trump linked the introduction of secondary sanctions against Russia – that is, restrictions against its trade partners – with the condition that similar measures would be taken by Europe. However, as follows from the WSJ publication, Brussels refuses to take such a step.