![[Watch] Never Said A Percentage: Trump On tariffs Over Buying From Russia](https://assets.odishabytes.com/wp-content/uploads/odishabytes-logo-25.svg){kind=logo}
Washington: US President Donald Trump, amid mounting international scrutiny, has clarified his recent threats about imposing tariffs on nations importing energy from Russia, stating he “never specified the exact rate.” The clarification came during a press conference following his earlier statement warning of tariffs up to 100%—with India and China among the main countries in focus. The Trump administration has already announced a 25% tariff on Indian imports and is considering further action.
“I never said a percentage, but we’ll be doing quite a bit of that. We’ll see what happens over the next fairly short period of time. But we will see what happens…”, Trump said during a press conference.
Trump’s remarks come as he accuses India—Russia’s largest energy buyer—of undermining Western sanctions by continuing to purchase oil and weapons from Moscow. However, the US President said that the final decision on possible penalty tariffs and secondary sanctions will be taken after meetings with Russian officials later this week.
#WATCH | On being asked about imposing 100% tariffs on all countries that purchase Russian energy, including China, US President Donald Trump says, “I never said a percentage, but we’ll be doing quite a bit of that. We’ll see what happens over the next fairly short period of… pic.twitter.com/qHOVywQ9TW
— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2025
Special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Russia for meetings this week with officials there, reported Hindustan Times.
India has countered Washington’s stance, pointing out that the US and European Union still conduct substantial trade with Russia, including importing uranium hexafluoride, fertilizers, and chemicals. The Indian foreign ministry termed the threat of tariffs “unjustified and unreasonable,” noting that India boosted Russian oil imports only after traditional suppliers shifted towards Europe following the Ukraine conflict. India also noted that these imports were initially encouraged by Washington to stabilize the global energy market.
The diplomatic tensions have prompted Indian Ambassador Vinay Kumar to meet Russia’s Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin, reaffirming both countries’ commitment to strengthen defence cooperation.
Maintaining a position of ambiguity, Trump stated, “I never said a percentage, but we’ll be doing quite a bit of that. We’ll see what happens over the next fairly short period of time.” He brushed aside questions about US imports from Russia, saying, “I don’t know anything about it, I’d have to check, but we’ll get back to you on that.”
The Trump administration is expected to make further announcements after scheduled talks with Moscow. Recent figures show India imported an estimated $50.2 billion worth of Russian oil in the 2024-25 fiscal year, underscoring its pivotal role as Russia’s energy partner amid Western sanctions.
