Trump's tariff list: 180 countries targeted, but not Russia
President Donald Trump announced the imposition of reciprocal tariffs on goods from 180 countries; however, the omission of Russia was a surprise. "It's possible that an exemption mechanism was applied in light of exceptions for critical raw materials," notes Jakub Jakóbowski, Deputy Director of the Centre for Eastern Studies, in a conversation with money.pl.
"Indeed, countries such as North Korea, Cuba, and Iran—traditionally under sanctions—were not on the list of new tariffs. So, this is not an exception reserved only for Russia. However, if we apply the same logic used by the Americans for all trade relations, then Russia should be subject to tariffs—because the United States still imports goods from it worth about CAD 4 billion annually, despite the existing sanctions," said Jakub Jakóbowski, Deputy Director of the Centre for Eastern Studies, to money.pl.
"However, it is possible that even if Russia were on the list, a mechanism for exemptions related to critical raw materials—such as timber, energy, or other resources that will not be subject to tariffs regardless of the country of origin—would apply. This is due to the structure of Russian exports to the USA. Nevertheless, the absence of Russia from this list—even if not intended as a political signal—was perceived as such, especially in the context that Ukraine was included," added the expert.
The USA imposes tariffs on 189 countries
Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, during "Liberation Day," retaliatory tariffs on the entire world: 10% on all imports and 25% on foreign cars. He presented a list of countries and the tariff rates that will apply—in the case of the European Union, it will be 20%.
However, one of the biggest surprises of the announcement was the omission of Russia, which remains under sanctions due to the war in Ukraine. As explained by the White House spokeswoman, Russia was not on the list due to existing sanctions that have practically eliminated trade between these two countries.
"Russia is not on this list because the sanctions related to the war in Ukraine have already reduced trade between these two countries to zero," said an administration representative. It is worth noting that other sanctioned countries, such as Belarus, Cuba, and North Korea, were also not burdened with new tariffs.
US sanctions on Russia
Since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has imposed a wide range of economic, financial, and personal sanctions on Russia. The main actions included a ban on importing Russian oil, gas, and coal, cutting off the largest Russian banks from the American financial system, and restrictions on the export of advanced technologies, including semiconductors and military equipment.
The USA also sanctioned many Russian oligarchs, politicians, and their families—including President Vladimir Putin and Minister Sergey Lavrov. Currently, the US administration is considering imposing harsh sanctions on Russia, targeting its "shadow fleet." These restrictions aim at illegal oil shipments through the Baltic Sea.
