Tariff Threats Don’t Work Against India, China, Says Russia As Trump Appears To Soften Stance

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has sharply criticised the United States for threatening tariffs on countries that continue to buy oil from Moscow. Speaking on Russia’s state TV show The Great Game, Lavrov said that “ancient civilisations” like India and China will not give in to such ultimatums. He argued that Washington’s pressure is backfiring, as its demands are only pushing nations to search for new energy suppliers, new markets, and forcing them to pay higher costs.

Lavrov’s remarks came after the Donald Trump administration strongly criticised India for continuing to import Russian oil despite the ongoing Ukraine war.

“India and China are ancient civilisations. Telling them, ‘Stop doing what I don’t like or I’ll put tariffs on you,’ simply won’t work,” Lavrov said. He added that New Delhi and Beijing have both shown resistance to these demands, not only because they harm their economies but also because they reject the US approach on moral and political grounds.