Trump's global tariffs spare Russia amid existing sanctions
President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on almost all countries worldwide. However, Russia is not among them. "Well, Russia and Belarus we don’t trade with. Right?," said Commerce Secretary Scott Bessent.
What do you need to know?
- President Trump announced new tariffs: On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced broad retaliatory tariffs affecting many countries, excluding Russia.
- Russia is not on the list: Russia is omitted from the new tariffs because existing sanctions related to the war in Ukraine have already reduced US-Russia trade to nearly zero, as explained by the White House.
- New sanctions in preparation: American senators are working on a bill to introduce new sanctions against Russia if it does not engage in peace talks with Ukraine.
Why is Russia not included in the new tariffs?
After President Trump's announcement of the new tariffs, questions arose about why Russia is not on the list of affected countries. A White House representative quoted by "Newsweek" explained that Russia was omitted because existing sanctions related to the war in Ukraine have effectively reduced US-Russia trade to zero.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent mentioned in an interview with Fox News that Russia is not on the list because the United States does not trade with it. "Well, Russia and Belarus we don’t trade with. Right?," he said. "They are sanctioned," he said. "They are sanctioned," he added.
What are the plans concerning the new sanctions?
According to "Newsweek," American senators, including Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal, are preparing a bill to introduce new sanctions against Russia. The bill proposes tariffs as high as 500 percent on goods imported from countries purchasing Russian oil, gas, and uranium. Additionally, Trump announced the introduction of "secondary tariffs" on countries continuing to trade with Russia if Moscow does not agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine.
