Overview

• At a Tuesday White House briefing, President Trump credited the combined 25% reciprocal and 25% oil-linked tariffs on India with delivering a “big blow” to Russia’s economy.
• The president argued that the levies not only generated revenue but also provided “great power over enemies” and helped resolve five longstanding conflicts.
• Trump said he was prepared to escalate tariffs further but paused after receiving an outreach from President Putin.
• He announced plans for a direct meeting with Putin where he expects to assess prospects for a Russia-Ukraine truce within minutes.
• India’s Ministry of External Affairs condemned the additional duties as “extremely unfortunate” and vowed to protect its national interests.