US' Russia tariffs threat to disrupt market

Washington may use Ukraine conflict to justify broader trade wars, experts say

The United States administration's announcement of military aid to Ukraine and threats of tariffs on Russia signal an abrupt change in US policy on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, experts said, warning that the threat of secondary tariff sanctions could disrupt global energy markets and economic stability.

On Monday, while meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House, US President Donald Trump announced a new agreement with NATO regarding weapons to assist Ukraine. Trump said the plan was to rapidly provide Ukraine with the most sophisticated air defenses and precision missiles.

Zhang Hong, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies, noted that Trump's move reflects a broader recalibration of US strategy on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.