As Trump threatens 100% import taxes on countries trading with Russia, global energy markets and diplomatic relations brace for impact.
Despite holding the title of the world’s most sanctioned nation, Russia has continued to leverage its immense energy exports to fund its war effort in Ukraine. But former US President Donald Trump, in a dramatic escalation, has announced a new move that could severely disrupt global trade and energy flows.
If Russia fails to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine by Friday, 8 August, Trump plans to impose secondary tariffs on any country that continues to trade with Moscow. These secondary tariffs would enforce a 100% import tax on goods entering the US from any nation doing business with Russia.
This tactic targets Russia’s economic lifeline: oil and gas. Moscow remains the world’s third-largest oil producer, behind Saudi Arabia and the US, although its shipments have been in decline in 2025, according to a Bloomberg review of maritime tracking data.
Major Russian energy buyers—including China, India, and Turkey—would be directly affected. The move could trigger a domino effect, forcing those economies to reconsider their dependence on Russian energy or risk losing access to the lucrative US market.
“I used trade for a lot of things, but it’s great for settling wars,” Trump said last month, underscoring his strategy of using economic pressure to force geopolitical change.
While the Trump administration has previously imposed secondary tariffs—notably against countries buying Venezuelan oil—this would mark the most significant and potentially disruptive use of the measure to date.
With oil at the heart of the global economy, these tariffs could fuel inflation, strain alliances, and reshape global energy partnerships.