Russia: US Tariff Threats on India, China Failing

According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, US attempts to pressure India and China through tariff threats are fundamentally flawed. Speaking on the programme The Great Game, Lavrov argued that telling either nation to cease actions disliked by Washington under the threat of tariffs will not succeed. He characterized India and China as ancient civilizations with deep historical and cultural resilience, making them particularly resistant to external economic coercion. This perspective challenges the US strategy of using trade policy as a tool of geopolitical influence.

Lavrov pointed to the specific responses from New Delhi and Beijing as evidence of this failure. Rather than capitulating to US demands, both nations have adapted to the economic pressure by seeking new markets and alternative energy sources. While this adaptation comes at a cost—higher prices and economic disruption—Lavrov emphasized that it has strengthened their long-term resilience. The Russian Foreign Minister also noted that the tariff threats face strong moral and political opposition, suggesting that the US approach lacks international legitimacy and undermines its diplomatic standing.

Beyond the issue of tariffs, Lavrov addressed the broader US strategy of sanctions, particularly those targeting Russia. He stated that these measures cause no real problems for Moscow, despite being unprecedented in scale and duration. Lavrov recalled that the sanctions regime began during Donald Trump’s presidency and has continued under Joe Biden, representing a consistent US approach across administrations.

The Russian Foreign Minister criticized this approach as a replacement for genuine diplomatic efforts and compromise. According to Lavrov, sanctions have become the default US response to international disagreements, undermining the potential for dialogue and negotiated solutions. This substitution of diplomacy with punitive measures, he argued, reflects a deeper failure in US foreign policy—one that prioritizes coercion over engagement and ultimately weakens America’s ability to influence global events.

Lavrov’s comments highlight the ongoing geopolitical tensions between major powers and the limitations of economic coercion as a tool of statecraft. The failure of tariff threats against India and China, as described by the Russian Foreign Minister, suggests that nations are increasingly finding ways to circumvent US economic pressure. This adaptation includes diversifying trade relationships, developing alternative supply chains, and building political alliances that reduce dependence on Western markets.

The persistence of sanctions against Russia, despite their alleged ineffectiveness, points to a broader pattern in international relations: the use of economic measures as symbolic gestures of disapproval, even when their practical impact is limited. Lavrov’s dismissal of these sanctions as inconsequential challenges the narrative of their effectiveness and raises questions about the strategic value of maintaining them. Ultimately, his remarks underscore a shifting global landscape where traditional tools of economic coercion are losing their potency, and nations are developing new strategies to assert their sovereignty and pursue independent foreign policies.