US President Donald Trump has claimed that his administration used tariffs and trade measures as tools to prevent wars, saying that several conflicts were avoided during his presidency because of economic pressure.

“Of the seven wars I stopped, four were because I had tariffs and trade. I was able to say, ‘If you go fight and want to kill everybody, that is okay, but I am going to charge you each a 100% tariff when you trade with us.’ They all gave up,” Trump said, adding that the US was collecting “trillions of dollars in tariffs and stopping wars due to tariffs.”

Vance Defends Tariffs on India

Trump’s comments came as US Vice President JD Vance defended the imposition of secondary tariffs on India, calling them part of Washington’s effort to apply “aggressive economic leverage” against Russia over the war in Ukraine.

In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Vance said the measures were designed to restrict Moscow’s oil revenue. “The President has applied aggressive economic leverage, for example, the secondary tariffs on India, to try to make it harder for the Russians to get rich from their oil economy,” he said.

Vance added that Russia could be reintegrated into the global economy if it ended the war, but warned that Moscow would remain isolated if it continued fighting.

Sanctions Still on the Table

When asked about skepticism over whether sanctions could force Russian President Vladimir Putin into a ceasefire, Vance said such measures remained an option. He stressed that the administration was weighing sanctions and tariffs on a case-by-case basis to determine the most effective leverage.

Vance also noted that the US had already imposed a 54% tariff on Chinese goods, arguing that Washington was applying significant pressure on Beijing, Russia’s largest oil buyer.

Possible Adjustments Ahead

The Vice President suggested that tariffs could be reduced for some countries if progress was made toward peace, or increased further if needed. He emphasized that the US was committed to providing Ukraine with long-term security guarantees to prevent future invasions.

Highlighting ongoing diplomatic efforts, Vance said, “We are trying to negotiate as much as we can with both the Russians and the Ukrainians to find a middle ground to stop the killing.”

He added that the Trump administration remained engaged in “aggressive, energetic diplomacy”, stressing that ending the war was in the interest of the US, Europe, Ukraine, and even Russia.

Source: TNIE / ANI
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