KOMAL SINGH
Image Credit- X
U.S. Vice President JD Vance says President Trump applied "aggressive economic leverage"—via secondary tariffs on India—to pressure Russia into halting its war in Ukraine
Vance explained that the tariffs were meant to make it harder for Russia to profit from its oil exports, thereby weakening its war funding
The administration hopes that reduced revenue will coax Russia into a ceasefire, offering re-entry into global markets if it ends its aggression
Vance emphasized sanctions remain an option, to be applied on a case-by-case basis, underscoring the tactical nature of these measures
Vance singled out India’s discounted Russian oil imports as a lever, asserting that tariffs will pressure Russia while India absorbs collateral impact
These tariffs, which have escalated U.S.–India tensions, come amid a broader diplomatic breakdown, despite the strategic importance of the partnership
Vance framed the tariffs as a deliberate, calculated use of economic policy to achieve political and humanitarian outcomes—a means to push for peace through financial pressure