Russia has accused the Donald Trump administration in the United States of pursuing a “neocolonial” policy towards nations in the Global South in an attempt to maintain Washington’s hegemony.
Moscow said no amount of tariffs or sanctions could alter the “natural course of history” and expressed its readiness to strengthen cooperation with countries resisting such measures.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Washington was applying “politically motivated economic pressure” on states taking an independent course in global affairs, adding that Russia stood committed to fostering a “truly multilateral” and equal world order.
Her remarks came just days after US President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping new tariffs on dozens of countries.
“Sanctions and restrictions have unfortunately become a defining feature of the current historical period, impacting countries across the globe. Unable to accept the erosion of its dominance in an emerging multipolar international order, Washington continues to pursue a neocolonial agenda, employing politically motivated economic pressure against those who choose an independent course on the international stage,” Zakharova said.
She described Trump’s tariff policy against Russia’s partners in the Global South as a “direct encroachment” on national sovereignty and an “attempt to interfere in their internal affairs”.
“We firmly believe that no tariff wars or sanctions can halt the natural course of history. We are supported by a vast number of partners, like-minded states, and allies, particularly among the countries of the Global South and, above all, within BRICS, who share this perspective,” Zakharova said.
Her reference to BRICS was to the bloc originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, which expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, with Indonesia joining in 2025.
Zakharova said US policy risked slowing economic growth, damaging supply chains and fragmenting the global economy. “Contrary to the basic provisions in the area of free trade, which the Western countries themselves once promoted, there is politically motivated protectionism and voluntaristic build-up of tariff barriers,” she said.
Trump’s Tariffs on India
On Monday, Donald Trump said he would “substantially raise” the tariff paid by India for buying “massive amounts of Russian oil”, claiming much of it was being resold on the open market “for big profits”.
In a strong response, India reminded Washington that when New Delhi began importing oil from Russia after the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, the US “actively encouraged such imports”. It also rejected criticism from the European Union for singling out Indian refiners over their exports of crude.
The Ministry of External Affairs said India’s imports were “a necessity compelled by the global market situation”, adding that countries criticising its trade with Russia were themselves “indulging in trade with Russia” even when “such trade is not even a vital compulsion”.
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