'Why should the US bear the burden?': Treasury chief Bessent says Europe refused tariffs on India, China over Russia
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said European countries refused Washington's request to impose secondary tariffs on India and China for purchasing Russian oil, questioning why the United States should bear the economic burden of pressuring Moscow alone.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has criticized European countries for refusing to impose secondary tariffs on India and China for purchasing Russian oil, questioning why the US should bear the economic burden alone. In an interview with NBC, Bessent stated that the Trump administration had approached European allies in the spring to seek joint action against countries importing Russian energy, but they refused.
He also highlighted proposed sanctions legislation, the Graham bill, which would give the administration 60 days to assess the situation before deciding on further action. Bessent criticized Europe for continuing to buy Russian energy, noting that in the first six months of the year, 136 of 140 cargoes from Russia's Yamal facility went to Europe, generating over USD 8 billion in revenue.
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