Could Trump’s 100% tariffs crush Russia’s war machine?

How much pressure can Donald Trump’s new tariffs place on Russia’s war economy? A new U.S. law gives the president the power to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian energy, while also strengthening sanctions against Russia’s shadow fleet. In this interview, the Kyiv Independent's Martin Fornusek speaks with Philip Luck, director of the Economics Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), about what the new legislation means for Russia, China, and India. The conversation examines the limits of the new legislation and the potential economic costs for the U.S., congressional oversight of Trump's tariff powers, sanctions evasion, and whether greater pressure on Russia could reduce the Kremlin's ability to finance its war against Ukraine. 00:00 Intro 00:22 What new sanctions law changes 05:19 Support independent journalism in Ukraine 05:54 Can Trump be forced to act? 07:44 The political cost of tariffs 09:41 Can tariffs change China’s policy? 11:37 How tariffs could cut Russia’s oil revenue 12:49 Targeting Russia’s Shadow Fleet 15:03 Why sanctions must keep evolving 17:24 Can Congress restrain Trump? 18:58 Can tariffs bring Russia to talks? 20:37 Pressuring China and India 21:40 Outro Watch more of The Kyiv Independent’s reporting on Russia’s war economy:    • Do sanctions on Russia actually work?      • How Ukraine’s oil strikes could shift Russ...      • The European national helping Russia's war...   We have more than 400,000 subscribers on this channel, and millions watch our videos every month. But less than 1% support our journalism financially. If you’ve been watching for a while, this is the moment to join us: https://kyivindependent.com/membershi... Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine. MEET THE TEAM live & SUPPORT INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM Get your ticket for the evening of live journalism: https://tickets.kyivindependent.com/e... #RussiaSanctions #UkraineWar #Tariffs #Trump #China