President Donald Trump asked the European Union to impose tariffs of up to 100% on China and India over their Russian oil purchases have raised concerns on both sides of the Atlantic, with officials viewing Europe as highly unlikely to comply.

The request, first reported by the Financial Times and confirmed by multiple sources, came during a meeting between senior U.S. and EU officials in Washington this week. Trump proposed that Europe target India and China — Moscow’s key energy clients — in order to squeeze Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war revenues. He added that the U.S. would be prepared to “mirror” any tariffs imposed by Europe.

EU officials, however, signaled hesitation. A European Commission spokesperson declined to disclose details of the closed-door talks but noted that the bloc “has engaged with all relevant global partners, including India and China, in the context of its sanctions enforcement efforts,” and will continue to do so.

Brussels has rolled out 18 sanctions packages against Russia since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and is preparing its 19th, which could target banks in Central Asia and Chinese refineries. Yet tariffs, unlike sanctions, are rarely used in the EU’s trade arsenal and typically require lengthy investigations and unanimous approval from member states — a tall order given past resistance from countries such as Hungary. So far, the EU has only imposed tariffs in connection with the war on Russian and Belarusian fertilizers and farm products.

Complicating matters further, the EU is in the final stages of negotiating a trade deal with India, which it is unlikely to jeopardize with sweeping duties. India has already called U.S. tariffs on its oil purchases “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.” Trump, who doubled tariffs on India to 50% earlier this year, has simultaneously sought to reset trade relations with New Delhi, saying this week he looked forward to speaking with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Europe’s own energy dependence on Russia further complicates the calculus. Despite sharp declines in recent years, the EU still imported €35.9 billion worth of Russian goods in 2024, mostly fuel and mining products. While the bloc has diversified away from Russian pipeline gas, it remains reliant on liquefied natural gas imports, some of which still come from Moscow.

Meanwhile, Washington has encouraged Europe to boost purchases of U.S. liquefied natural gas, oil, and nuclear energy, with Trump claiming a framework trade deal includes an expected $750 billion in U.S. energy offtake over the next three years.

For now, EU officials emphasize they are sticking to targeted sanctions on specific entities rather than adopting Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy. Still, with new packages under discussion, they stop short of ruling out tougher measures in the future.