Washington: US President Donald Trump on Sunday signalled readiness to impose new sanctions on Moscow, hours after Russia carried out its biggest-ever aerial barrage on Ukraine. Speaking outside the White House, he replied “yeah, I am” when asked if he was prepared to advance more sanctions, though he did not elaborate.

Similarly, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that Russia’s economy would “collapse” if Washington and the European Union introduce more secondary sanctions on countries buying Moscow’s crude oil.

In an interview with NBC News, Bessent said Trump and Vice President J D Vance had a productive call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, followed by his own call with her on Friday. They discussed joint steps to tighten pressure on Russia.

Tariffs on India’s oil purchases

The Trump administration has imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on India for its Russian oil imports, on top of the 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs already in place. This has raised total duties to 50 per cent, effective August 27.

Bessent stressed the US was prepared to act further, but said, “we need our European partners to follow us.”

Ukraine war and sanctions

“We are in a race now between how long can the Ukrainian military hold up versus how long can the Russian economy hold up,” Bessent observed. He added that expanded sanctions and secondary tariffs on buyers of Russian oil could push Moscow into “full collapse” and bring President Vladimir Putin “to the table.”

Trump criticises India over imports

Trump expressed disappointment at India’s continued oil purchases from Russia. “We put a very big tariff on India, 50 per cent tariff, very high tariff. I get along very well with (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi, he's great. He was here a couple of months ago,” Trump said in the Oval Office on Friday.

Asked if he was ready to reset ties with India, Trump said he was “very disappointed” with New Delhi’s decisions as relations between the two countries face one of their lowest points in over two decades.

India defends stance

Several US officials, including Bessent and trade advisor Peter Navarro, have argued that India’s purchases of Russian oil are financing Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine.

India has dismissed the US measures as “unjustified and unreasonable,” defending its energy imports as being driven by national interest and market dynamics.

With AFP, PTI inputs