EU sanctions chief David O’Sullivan was at the center of discussions in Washington this week, where he was presented with President Donald Trump’s most radical plan yet for pressuring Russia: a joint US-EU tariff wall of up to 100% against India and China. O’Sullivan led the European delegation in talks with senior US Treasury officials about escalating the economic war over Ukraine.
The proposal O’Sullivan heard represents a major strategic shift, moving beyond sanctions on Russia to punitive measures against its major economic partners. The Trump administration is advocating for this step due to its frustration with stalled peace negotiations and Russia’s intensified military campaign.
The American position was made clear: the US is prepared to act immediately but will not do so unilaterally. This condition puts immense pressure on O’Sullivan and the EU to decide whether to align with Washington’s aggressive, high-risk strategy, which could trigger a global trade crisis.
The timing of the summit is critical, as Trump’s tariff authority is simultaneously being challenged in the US Supreme Court. A ruling against the president could invalidate the very policy being proposed to O’Sullivan and would force the US to refund tens of billions of dollars in collected duties, severely undermining American credibility on the issue.
The O’Sullivan Sanctions Summit: EU Chief Hears Trump’s Radical Tariff Plan
